


The Marry-Go-Round

by HumanClay



Category: Lost Boys (Movies), The Lost Boys (Movies)
Genre: Blood and Gore, David (Lost Boys)/Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, Dwayne (Lost Boys)/Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Lost Boys/Original Female Character, Marko (Lost Boys)/Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, Paul (Lost Boys)/Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, Polyamory, Rape/Non-con Elements, Slow Burn, Star (Lost Boys)/Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, Vampires, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-22
Updated: 2020-07-05
Packaged: 2020-07-10 16:09:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 16
Words: 31,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19908499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HumanClay/pseuds/HumanClay
Summary: She was lost in a life that had nowhere to go, living off the kindness of strangers. A stranger her self; could she become a part of something bigger or would she perish becoming just another pretty face in the sea people that came and went as day turns to night?(This is a slow story, with a lot of slice of life chapters. Updates come back to back with long gaps in between. Anyway updates are soon to come!)





	1. Lonely is the Night- Billy Squier

Lonely is the Night by Billy Squier hummed softly from the beaten up radio. The girl who couldn't have been more than 18 years of age looked out the window she looked happy in a silent contempt sort of way. She had been in the truck with its driver for what should have been at least 3 hours. Time blends when you don't have a destination or a deadline. 

Through the window, she saw a sign: Santa Carla 10 miles. 

That's where the truck was headed to make its drop. Or at least that's what its driver had said before she had gotten in. You see this was her life; she hopped on trucks as a mode of transportation. Relying on the kindness of strangers. Some times the drivers were friendly wanting some company other times they thought the girl would do favors for them in return for the ride; during those times she would be thrown from trucks after refusing. 

Once the truck had reached its destination, the girl began to get out the massive vehicle pulling her beaten tattered suitcase along with her. It was an old thing that was heald together by an equally beaten belt that she had stolen from a trucker. She turned to her current driver to say a polite thank you because that's how her mama raised her. To always be respectful to strangers, "You only make first impressions once," her mother had told her as a young child. "You might as well be nice because you can always be mean later." She had taken those words to heart, and so far they had gotten her pretty far. 

From where she stood, she could see the sleeping coastal town coming to life as the sun was high in the sky. Hazel eyes took in the scene before them. This is the town she would be calling home until she felt the need to run away once again. 

She was a pretty young thing, not too tall. You could call her short in fact; her dark hair was a wild mess of loose curls that reached her lower back. She was tan from having to spend hours walking around looking for a ride to her next adventure. Her eyebrows were bushy, and her smile was radiant, undying from excitement. She wore an old off the shoulder blouse that looked like it used to be white but was now a bone-ish color. She also wore an old skirt that had been torn up the leg after she had ran from a more aggressive driver, on every one of her fingers she wore a ring, some that rested entirely on her skinny fingers others that were too small and landed just halfway down. She wore no shoes because they had been stolen after she spent the night under a bridge, many truckers had tried to buy her new one, but she could never say yes to a hand out after they had fed her and given her a ride; it was too much. 

By the time she had reached the beached of Santa Carla, the sun was gone, and the moon had taken over the sky. She was aching from the days' scorching sun. Not only was the sun killed her with its burning beams, but her stomach was beginning to act up after not eating for so long. So she did what any other desperate person would do and began to dig through the nearest trash can. No shame in survival that's what she always told herself when it got to these sorts of situations because, in all honesty, she was dying in the side. 

"Excuse me, miss?" A gentle voice said from behind her as she dug through the trash. If her face wasn't red from the sun, it was most certainly from the pure wave of embarrassment. "Uh, yes?" She answered, trying to fix her hair to the best of her abilities with no luck. She looked up to see who the voice belonged to, meeting their eyes. In front of her was a very tall man with kind eyes. " I couldn't help to notice you from my store; I was wondering if you needed any help." He said as he gestured to a video store not too far from them. As she was about to open her mouth, her stomach gave out a loud growl. "I See. Come with me." He held out his hand, which she took with a shy smile, and so he led her to a hot dog stand that was round the corner from where they had stood. 

He ordered two hot dogs and then began to speak to her once again, this whole time she held on to her ratty suitcase like it contained her life, which it did. He had asked many questions. Where she was from, what she was doing, what she planned to do, and just too many questions. To which she had no answer. As they talked, he had handed her a hot dog, and once she had finished, he gave her the other. She had told him all that she could. "Do you have a place to stay?" He had asked her as she finished the second dog. "I'll figure something out," She responded shyly once again not meeting his eyes. "Would you like to stay with me?" He asked her using his pointer finger to move her head to get her to meet his eyes. 

To say yes to him was to say goodbye to her freedom. That she known that from learning the lesson the hard way after an accident in Carson City. "You've already done so much." She had said as she took his hand and brought it up to her lips in a jester of submission. With that, the man gently removed his hand from hers and reached into his jacket pocket. "If you ever need anything, give me a call," He handed her a card. It read: 

Max's Video Store  
We Have It All!  
867-5309 

And so with a smile, he went on his way. She went to find a safe place to sleep for a couple of hours or maybe for the rest of the humid night.


	2. Once Bitten Twice Shy - Great White

When she saw that Max was out of sight, she grasped her case off the ground and spun around and then walked in the direction of where she stopped. Aimless walking was her specialty; it's what she did during most of her free time, which was all of her time. She took in the boardwalks' lights, smells, and sounds; everything around her was so alive.

Without her awareness, a bouncing wave of frizzy curls was hot on her trail. Carrying the mostly empty suitcase, our girl was haphazardly weaving through the crowd of people colliding into someone ever so often. This gave the bouncing coil of curls a dazzling idea. Circling the girl carrying the case and walking straight into her hard enough to send both of the girls hurling to the ground and making it all look like an accident and at the same time causing the dilapidated suitcase to burst open and emptying itself of all its content. 

"Oh god, are you okay?" Our girl asked the young lady that had knocked her over. " Yeah, I'm fine," the girl said as she helps her gather things from the boardwalk floor and back into the old suitcase. "Shouldn't I be asking you if you're okay? After all, I'm the one that totally knocked you over." She smiled as she helped the girl up from the ground. "Listen, let me make it up to you." She offered her. "There's no need," The girl answered, "It was a small accident; it happens all the time." She waved at the air in a casual gesture. "Nonsense, come on." Her frizzy-haired counterpart announced as she took her new friend by the hand pulling her around the crowd of people.

"Wait! You wouldn't happen to know of somewhere I leave my case at, would you?" The girl asked out of breath from walking so fast after her new companion. "Oh yeah, of course, I do come on." She dragged the girl to a group of motorcycles parked at the edge of the boardwalk, overlooking the ocean. "Is one of these yours?" Our girl asked her new friend with wide eyes of disbelief. No way a girl her size would be going around driving such a big motorcycle. "Oh no, not mine, but they do belong to my friends." She said as she began to strap the suitcase to the back of one of the bikes. "Don't worry, no one's going to bother your bag, that is unless they have a death wish." She laughed like a sly fox. The odd comment going over the girl's head. "My name's Star, by the way." She extended her hand, which was shaken by the new girl. "That's a pretty name." The girl acknowledged. "What exactly do you want to do, Star?" She asked, "Well, seeing how you seem to be new around here, I thought I would show you around the boardwalk." She replied as she casually leaned on one of the bikes. "Okay, I guess that sounds like fun." Replied the girl with a shy smile. You see, she was never good at making new friends or friends in general. Yes, she was good at getting rides from strangers as well as food and other necessities but never actual friendship. 

With that, the two girls spent the next few hours hopping from ride to ride and eating all sorts of junk food that Star had somehow obtained. Our girl refused to acknowledge if Star had stolen anything, she would never judge another person who might be living under the same circumstances as her. 

After a long night, the girls found themselves on the merry-go-round. They laughed as they went up and down on their plastic horses. "Well, well, well, what do we have here?" An amused voiced ask out of the blue. The girls turned their bodies to look at who had said that. They came face to face with two blondes one was very tall and the other a bit shorter, but they were both a lot taller than our girl. "Paul!" Star loudly announced, throwing her hands up in the air and leaning back her horse. She leaned far enough to rest her head on Pauls' shoulder. "Marko!"' She gleefully said as she padded is cherub-like face with her hand as a loving gesture, her other hand holding on the horse for leverage.

"Hi, guys! What's up?" She asked as the ride came to a stop, and she began to get off the plastic horse. "It's time to get going, Star baby," Paul said sarcasm dripping from his voice. "Yeah, David and Dwayne are waiting for us by the bikes. They have a burning question for you." Marko snickered for a second Stars brilliant smile wavered. "Guys, this is my new friend! Look, isn't she just the sweetest?" She changed the subject in record time as she pulled her friend up to the boys who dressed like individuals. Outfit completely customized just for their likings. "Yeah, babe totally sweet," Paul said, throwing an arm around Stars' shoulder, pulling her along in turning, causing Star to tug her new friend along with her. Marko's laugh followed behind them.

After a short walk and a lot of weaving through the crowd of people, the small group found themselves back at the motorcycles. There waiting from them were the two missing members of the ensemble — a tall tan-skinned guy who wasn't wearing a shirt but was sporting a black leather jacket. And an equally intimidating guy who had white hair and was wearing a smirk that would give Patrick Swayze a run for his money. 

"Hey guys," Star greeted them nervously. "Paul said you had a question, David." She asked David the one with the smirk. "No, Star, Dwayne, here is the one with the question." He gestured to Dwayne, who's arms crossed, and his eyebrows scrunched into a pensive scowl. "Was it you who strapped this pile of junk to Delilah?" His voice was deep and borderline raspy. Star hesitated to answer. Delilah? Our girl thought to herself; she founded it amusing that this big scary looking guy had named his motorcycle Delilah. She also made a note to never mess with the bike. 

"Yes!" Star finally spoke up after a few seconds of thinking, "That pile of junk belongs to my new friend." She said as she pulled her friend from behind Paul and around Marko. "Guys, this is... This is... Guys, this is... Oh My God, I never asked you your name." Star realize as she held on her friend's hand with wild eyes and an embarrassed smile of pure awkwardness. Paul erupted in laughter, throwing himself on the ground, he had begun to cry from laughing so hard and was shortly joined by Marko who was bent over holding himself while laughing equally as hard. "That's not the point, Star!" Dwayne retorted, "I don't care who it belongs. I want to know why it's strapped to my bike." Dwayne guested to the girls' belongings on his bike. "Well you see, I thought that uhm, how do I say this," Star began to talking to herself trying to figure out a way to get out of the situation shortly after she went up to David and started to whisper in his ear, in turn, he pulled Dwayne closer to where he had been perching on his own bike and started to whipper-in his ear. 

With a short nod to each other, both David and Dwayne turned to our girl, "So I guess you're with us now then babe." David said with his signature sly smirk, "Actually my names-" She was cut by Paul, who had managed to pull himself together. "Okay, kid! So are you coming, or are we gonna have to pick your junk off Delilah?" He asked, lightly laughing, "Kid!? Who are you calling a kid? You can't be much older than me!" She retorted with teasing anger, "For all, you know, kid, we could be ancient." Marko commented with wild eyes as he brought his bike to life. "And as for junk-" The girl started again before being cut off by David. "Are you coming or not, kid?" "Oh, you are so on!" She said as she hopped on the back of Paul's bike. Star climbed on Davids bikes; they rode into the night, away from the lights of the boardwalk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I'm going to try to make this really good and as realistic as you can make teenage vampires be!
> 
> Shout out to the people that left me some comments on the last chapter! You are the reason that I'm going to keep writing!
> 
> As always, please leave a comment, review, and drop me a Kudo!
> 
> One last time please leave name suggestions as well cause I honestly have no idea what to name our girl and it's getting really hard to keep up her namelessness. I've been thinking about the names Luna, Alba, Lily, Lucky, Daisy, Bella, Love, and Rose... I know it's a lot but whatever if yall have something better let a hoe know...


	3. One For The Mockingbird - Cutting Crew

They road like madmen. Weaving and bopping through the thick undergrove. The moon was glowing above them in white light while their bikes shined yellow. She wasn't used to the rough riding, but she loved it. Most people would hold on tightly to the driver of the motorcycle, but she waved her hands in the air enjoying the night air. Paul had initially planned on driving in a wilder manner than he usually did, but he was also expecting the girl to be scared shitless by the high speed. Instead, after realizing that she had let go of him after he had raced away from the boardwalk, he decided to ride in his usual ways, which, if he was honest, wasn't any better. 

Once they got to the cliff edge, the girl hopped off his bike. No help needed. Paul was starting to like this new girl; she was just as wild as the rest of the gang. "That was so much fun!" She hollered, patting him on the shoulder as if to say 'good boy.' "Get used to it, princess." He winked, leading her to the rest of the group who were starting to descend what looked like an old wooden staircase. She caught up to Star, grasping her hand firmly and shyly, asking, "Where are we going?" She could barely see Stars' smiling face in the moonlight. "Home." The other girl told her with a firm squeeze to her hand. 

Once they got to the bottom of the staircase, all the visibility was gone. The girl couldn't see anything; suddenly, she was blinded by a bright light that was held by who she had assumed was Dwayne. After all, she couldn't see, but she was pulled by Star, who had begun to follow the glowing of the burning stick Dwayne carried into the cavern. As her eyes adjusted to the light, she realized that the cave was what Star had called home. 

The place was like nothing like the girl had ever seen. It was beautiful in a crooked way. Literally, everything in the room was crooked in one way or another, in the dim light. Surfboards leaned against the cave wall, in the center of the room was a fountain with an old candelabra inside of it. Above that hung a wind charm of some kind made of starfish and other beach trinkets. A giant poster of Jim Morrison hung on the back wall behind what looked like an antique wheelchair. 

"Welcome to our humble abode," David said with his arm wide open in the air. "Watch your step." The curly-haired boy, Marko, said as he gave the girl a hand. "This used to be the hottest resort in California before the earthquake back in 1906," David explained as Dwayne went around the room lighting barrels, making the once soft glow brighter. "Now it's-" David was cut off by the absent-minded girl, "Free real estate?" She asked, earning a cackle from the other boys and Star. "Our home." He finished with a straight face. "Girl's funny," Dwayne grin as he lit the last barrel. "Yeah, Star, where did you find this girl?" Paul asked as he played with the girl's matted hair. "You could say that I ran into her..." Star said shyly from the curtains she was fiddling with. "Well, I think I like her." He said as he went on his way. 

The boys had settled down doing their own thing. Marko was spread out on one of the couches reading a comic book; Paul was rummaging through tapes trying to find just the right one, he picked an old mixtape; blasting Still of the Night by Whitesnake. Dwayne was fiddling with what looked like an old motor, and David lounged on the old wheelchair flipping through a Rolling Stone magazine. Star had pulled the girls' beaten suitcase over to the bed allowing the girls to go through its content. The girl pulled a pair cut-offs and a cropped top that had Carson written across the chest. The rest of the logo had been cut off.

"Hey Star?" the girl asked in a low voice, not loud enough to be heard by the boys. "Yeah?" Star replied, looking away from the content of the case. "There wouldn't happen to be a place that I can, you know?" The girl gestured to the clothes in her hands, "Change?" Star asked, "Wash up?" The girl clarified. "Oh! Yeah! Absolutely!" Star announced loudly causing all the boys to look at them as Star began to lead the girl out of the main room and into another camber.

The girl held on to her mostly clean change of clothes; her underwear was the only thing that was actually washed recently. That was another one of her rules 'always wear clean underwear no matter what.' Any other item could be dirty, but her underwear, she would say socks too, but it had been a while since she wore proper shoes. Star held the torch that Dwayne had used to light the other room. "This room was once part of the hotels' spa," Star explained when they went into the room. Around the room were stalls that had once been dressing room and others that still had toilets in them. In the center, there was a pool like a fountain that looked like it double as showerheads. As the girl looked around, room Star had been messing with a pipe apparatus. The gang must have jury-rigged the pipping in the place to get clean water in the forgotten hotel. 

As Star fiddled around the shower fountain came to life. At first, the water came out bloody red from the rusty pipes, but shortly after, it turned crystal clear. "Okay, I guess I'll leave you to it," Star said as she backed away from the room. "Wait!" The girl panicked, dropping her fresh clothes on the ground and reached out for Stars. "This is gonna sound real fucking weird, but do you think you could stick around till I'm done?" She asked, "I kinda don't wanna be lone..." Star looked at the girl and smiled her sweet smile "I don't see why not." She plopped down the edge of the shower fountain, careful not to get wet. And so the girl stripped down and for the first in a long had a proper shower. Star had brought shower supplies that she could use, and boy did she use them. Her hair loosened up on the knots and the filth she had accumulated washed away. Her hair and skin became shades lighter as she scrubbed the dirt away. 

Once the girl was done, Star brought her back to the main room where they sat down on the couch across from Marko. They had begun to detangle the girls now brown hair. After that long shower, the gang had realized that if Brookes Shields and Madchen Amick had a baby with a gnarly tan, it'd be this chick. All the boys and Star found themselves one way or another staring at her. Paul had told the other boys about her ride on the motorcycle, leading to the question of how can someone so innocent and sweet looking be so daring and reckless? She was a mystery, and they all wanted to know why Max had asked them to take her in.

As Star brushed her hair, the girl looked around the room once again. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw something scurrying along. She turned her head, trying to catch it as it moved around the room. "What is that?" She asked aloud to no one in particular. "What's what?" Star asked as she struggled with a particularly hard knot. "That," The girl pointed to the moving object "Is that? Is that a rat?" She asked, trying to get a better look, Star was now trying to focus on the same form. "IS THAT A RAT?!"

Star asked alarmed. "IS THAT A FUCKING RAT!?" The girl screamed, at this point, the girls were on their feet standing on the couch as the large rodent made its appearance "OH MY GOD THAT A FUCKING RAT! HOLY SHIT THAT'S A RAT! WHAT THE FUCK?! WHAT THE FUCK?!" The girls went into hysterics sending the boys to their feet and on the attack. Marko and Dwayne chased after the condemned rodent as Paul and David had then re-entered the room. They found the girls holding each other crying, trying to get on top of each other away from the ground. Marko and Dwayne were doing their best to get the rat out of the cave. Paul went to help Dwayne and Marko as David made his way to the girls, which was a mistake. 

The girls jumped on top of David is a last attempt to get away from the rat that was nowhere near them. The girl still had the hairbrush that Star had used on her hanging from her knotted hair. It had smacked David in the face as the girl hanged off his right shoulder. Star had managed to wrap her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. Neither of the girls had rocked David; he just held them like sacks of flour. 

"The coast is clear, ladies! Mickey is out of the building!" Pauls' voice rang from the cave opening. The boys entered the room to find David with the girls hanging off him. The girl's hair was all over her face, the hairbrush still hanging on. "Mickey!?" The girl started as David let Star go, "Mickey Mouse!?" The girl struggled to get her hair out of her face smacking herself in the face with the brush like she did David. "That shit was a whole ass rat." She said as David set her down, "Thank you, babe." She told him as she lightly patted him on the cheek like she'd done to Paul earlier that night.

"The sun is gonna rise soon; I say its time for bed." Marko butted in with a yawn, "Yeah." David said, staring at the new girl. She was once again sitting with Star, who started to braid her hair. The boys then began to kill the fires and head further into the cave. "You can stay with me," Star said as she finished braiding the girl's hair. "Thank you." She answered as they crawled on to bed that had been hidden by the curtains. Both girls had gotten rid of their street clothes, sleeping in underwear and oversized shirts that Star had once stolen from the boys. As they laid in bed, Star turned to her new friend, who was starting to fall asleep. "Hey, you never told us your name." She whispered, "Oh yeah." The other girl replied, exhausted entirely and half asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This last chapter is kind of a slice of life chapter, I like doing these kinds of chapters. I'm not sure if I want to make another chapter like this or if I want to get the story moving. My character still doesn't have a name... I know how am I gonna have a whole ass story all plot out and not have a main character name?
> 
> Anyway as always reviews, comment, and leave a hoe a kudo! 
> 
> Also, leave me some name ideas!!


	4. Girls Just Want to Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper

When she woke up, she felt well-rested and dry. For a second, she had forgotten where she was, always felt that way when she woke up. Never staying in the same place for too long will do that to you. She looked around her surroundings. The cave dimly lit by the cracks on in the ceiling of the cave. She looked to her right, finding that Star was still peacefully sleeping, her curly hair haloed around her face. The girl smiled to her self, happy to see her new companion still by her side.

The girl slowly got out of bed, trying her best not to disturb her friend. She moved off the bed the cave floor cold on her bare feet, god she missed her shoes. She walked up to the steps that lead to the entrance of the cave. Looking back at the sleeping girl who rolled over in the bed, she carefully made her way up. When she was at the cave opening, the girl sat herself down to watch what she thought was the sun rising, only to realize that the sun had risen when she went to sleep and that that was the sunset. She breathed in the salty air and watched the sunset.

She had sat outside the cave for what seemed like forever. She never recognized that she had company at the cavern's edge. Marko had crept up on the girl, carrying one of Stars' many shawls. He tenderly draped the soft pink fabric over the girls' shoulders. She didn't even flinch. She turns her head and smiled up at him, lightly tapping the ground next to her, an invitation to sit down. 

"I like staring at the stars," She started placing her head on his shoulder. "No matter where I am, they're always the same." She smiled, gazing up at the darkened sky. He looked up, too; he wanted to ask her so many questions. She was a mystery to the gang, and it killed him that he knew nothing. 'Curiosity killed the cat' Star had told him when the gang first talked about bringing the strang girl into the group. "I never thought about that." He finally murmured after thinking for a long time. 

After sitting quietly for a while gazing at the clear sky, Star rushed out of the cave. "Oh! There you are!" She spoke relieved to see that her new friend hadn't left. "I honestly thought you ran away," Star announced, holding her hand to her chest. "Me?" The girl replied, faking a hurt look, "I would never run away in the face of danger!" She finished standing up and helping Marko to his feet. She tenderly squeezed his arm as a way to thank him for sitting with her. Star then grabbed the girl's hand and pulled her back into the cave. Marko watched as they left holding on to arm she squeezed. 

When Marko walked back into the cave moments later, before going to wake his brothers up, he noted that Star was modeling a pair of split leg silk pants the color of cherry blossoms and a white off the shoulder blouse. The top that Star wore reminded the girl of the one she had worn the day before. Star had paired the outfit with a pair of strappy sandals. "Come on, let's find you something to wear," Star said, pulling the girl back through the curtain. Star end up dressing the girl in an almost see-through skirt that had a slit that went up one of the girl's legs and an old black tank top bodysuit with buttons on the bust. 

It didn't take long after that for the boys to stumble out from the other part of the cave. "Ladies!" Paul blurted while stretching his arms over his head. The girls rolled their eyes and smile, "Good morning, boys, or should we say goodnight?" The girl answered as Dwayne wrapped nodded his head in their general direction. "So much lip tonight." David butted in scratching the back of his head, sleep still in his voice. Star dragged the girl with her while they all headed to the bikes. 

"What are we doing tonight?" The girl asked, trying to make eye contact with David, who was getting on his bike, Star not far behind him. "We're going to wreak havoc!" David playfully snared, starting his motorcycle Paul howled in the background. David drove away, followed by Marko and Paul, leaving Dwayne to ride up to the lone girl. "Hop on, girl." He spoke, not looking at her; she did as she was told. Like before, she didn't hold on; this time, it wasn't because she was living in the moment, but because she felt like Dwayne was not friendly with her. She felt like he had gotten stuck with her. 

As they caught up to the gang, the boys were standing by the bikes waiting for their remaining members. The girl hopped off the bike as Dwayne kicked the stand. She looked at the group trying to think of what she should do next settling with a simple thank you and a quick squeeze of Dwayne's hands that were still firmly grasping the handles in his motorcycle. He nodded the scowl he was wearing softening as he did so. She quickly joined Star, and they went on their way. 

Suddenly Dwayne understood what Paul had told the gang first night that the girl had joined them. When the girl had patted him, Paul said that he felt on fire. Like all sorts of warm energy flooded into him when she had touched him. Then David sensed it soon after, and Marko earlier that night, Dwayne became wary of the girl. Thinking that it was some kind of witchcraft but the way that David explained, he said that it had something to with being a vampire. All he knew was that the boys and Star felt more alive for the first time since they had all turned, and now he felt it too. 

"What was all that about?" Star asked as the girls walked away from the rest of the group. "I don't know he was giving me some weird-ass vibes." The girl answered, looking back to the boys who had wandered off to another part of the boardwalk. "I promise he means well," Star said, leading the girl through the food stands "Dwayne can be a little awkward, but he's sweet." The girl just shrugged in return. 

After a couple of hours, spent walking around, a bright neon sign caught the girls' eyes; there in colored letters :

MAX'S VIDEO STORE  
We Have It All!

The girl smiled widely and pulled Star into the store. There in the center of the room standing behind the waist-high counter, Max stood in all his friendly glory. Seeing the familiar face made the girl happy. "Hiya Max!" She waved at the man leaning her friend inside. "Well, if it isn't my barefoot friend!" The tall man greeted, smiling at the blushing girl. "It's good to see you!" He said happily, "I was wondering if I was going to see you again. Say, did you find a place to stay? You know my offer still stands." He knew that she found a place after all he had arranged it. "Yeah! I'm staying with some friends down by the coast." She lied. She hadn't realized that Star was doing everything in her power not to look Max in the face.

"This is my friend," She gestured at Star "Star. This is Max; he basically saved me from starvation!" The girl laughed as Star shook Maxs' hand even though they were already familiar with each other, still trying hard not to make eye contact. "Hey, I think it's time for us to head back..." Star said, shyly removing her hand from Max's. "Already?" The girl pouted, "Yeah, sorry, I'm sure we can come back again." She finally looked at Max, almost asking for permission but catching herself. "Alright, it was really nice to see you again," The girl said sweetly. "I'm sure you will make it back," Max said with a smile of his own, Star understood what he meant. With smiles on their' faces, they left the store.

When they were far away enough from the store, the girl asked Star why they were meeting the boys so early after getting to the boardwalk. "I lied about that," Star told the girl "Why?" She asked back. "I don't know," Star answered, looking at the ground a frown on her face "I was feeling awkward..." The girl stopped walking, "Aw, Star, that's okay." She hugged the other girl, "Hey, let's go have some fun!" The girl took off running, tugging her friend along with her. They went on to spend the next few hours hopping on rides and eating junk food. At some point, they manage to talk some cute boys into playing one of those carnival games to win them some stuffed animals. Star walked away with a rasta banana, and the girl got a teddy bear that looked a little too much like David, they had the same sly smile. After leaving the local boys high and dry, the girls made their way back to the bikes. 

At the bikes, the gang was waiting for them. Star went up to Paul and regifted the rasta banana. She told him that it was his spirit personified. That made him laugh and say 'thank you mon' in an awful Jamaican accent. While that was happening, the girl had handed the teddy bear to David and told him that it had his face causing David to snicker to himself. As Marko and Paul played with the rasta banana, David strapped the teddy to the front of his bike, and Dwayne pulled the girl to the side.

He was holding a box, the girl hadn't noticed because she was too busy watching the rasta banana being harassed by the gang. "This is for you." He said his voice tender and deep; he gave her the box. Inside was a pair of brown knee-high riding boots and a spare pair of socks. "Holy shit." she said, shocked, "Holy shit!" She squealed in delight, throwing her arms around Dwayne's neck. The rest of the gang had started to watch the scene unfold. Dwayne had hugged the girl back lifting her off the ground.

She was so short, and he was just so much taller. Star thought they looked cute together; Star thought the girl looked cute next to any of the other members in the group, herself included. The other boys smiled at the two having their moments. "Yeah, we all pitched in to get you a pair." Paul piped up, smiling his goofy smile. "Holy shit, you guys." The girl said her arms still around Dwayne. Tears slowly began to roll down her Bambi's eyes, "Shit kid, no need to cry." David said, sitting on his bike. Dwayne sat the girl back down on the group. "Yeah, honey, don't cry." Star said, approaching her friend, "Go on, try them on." She helps the girl sit on the ground and wiped her tears away. The boots were perfect, comfortable, and the most beautiful thing the girl had ever own. 

She was quiet for a long time. When she looked up, she realized that the boys were now standing around her looking down them. Marko squatted down to their level, "You okay, kid?" He asked his hand on her cheek, she leaned into it and said: "I'm just real happy." She smiled, the boy laughed, and Star hugged her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a name for our girl, y'all are just gonna have to wait.
> 
> Can one of y'all tell me that this shit is okay?  
> A hoe needs to know if she's doing things good. 
> 
> As always please review, comment, and drop a hoe a Kudo!


	5. Nowhere Fast - Fire Inc.

The following night the gang decided to stay in or at least they did after David told them to. They decided to send Marko out for taking out, but only after there had been a small fight over who they should send out. They ended up picking Marko because David wasn't an errand boy, Dwayne didn't feel like, Paul would probably come back with a half-empty box of Oreos, and a pint of melted ice cream and neither girl could drive a bike. 

While Marko was out, the rest of the group began to pull blankets, pillows, and anything plush on to the cave floor, trying to create a massive lounge area on the ground. They even removed the couch cushion and the mattress from Star's bed. The girl didn't ask why they were doing that, but she joined in. Just as Marko re-entered the room carrying a small crate with food, Paul dropped on the pile flat on his back. "Yup!" He said, giving the group a thumbs up from the ground. "Good stuff." Star then sat on top of him. "Yup!" She mocked, giving the group the same gesture. Paul then wrestled Star off of him. The girl took some food boxes from the creat and joined the two; Marko sat next to her. David and Dwayne joined after.

As the group ate, Paul started to roll multiple joints. He had also put a mixtape in the boom box, which as lightly playing in the background. After eating the group laid down on in the pile of blankets. Star laid next to David who was next to Dwayne, Marko was on his left, Paul had Marko to his right, and the girl to his left and she was next to Star. A full circle. Paul lit up the first joint and gave it to Marko, who sent it around the ring. The girl wasn't sure if she wanted to join in their reindeer games, but when she saw Star take a hit, she decided to join in. 

She had never done any kind of drugs a day in her life. She nearly coughed up a lung on her first hit, sending Paul into a giggle fit. Star told him off, and the girl handed the joint off to the giggling blonde. After the joint had gone around the group multiple times, David piped up, "So, girl," he said, waiting for his turn, "You still haven't told us your name." The group went completely quiet; the music was still going. "What would you say," The girl started already high out of her mind "If I told you that my name is Girl." she laughed at her joke. "Bullshit!" Paul laughed with her, pulling her close to him, rolling her over, so she was now laying in between Marko and himself. She Laughed harder as Marko attacked her, tickling her with his fingers. 

"Yeah! Bullshit!" Star said, rolling on her stomach to get a better look at her friend who was being attacked by the two blonds. "I'm kidding!" The girl tried as she struggled with the two boys. "It's-" she could stop laughing "It's-" She tried again "Let her talk!" Dwayne barked at the two. They stopped tickling her, and she took a deep breath. "My name is Valerie." She took another deep breath. "Valerie Owens." She settled, staring up at the ceiling of the cave. 

"What kind of a name is Valerie?" David mocked, breaking the silence. "It's my name," Valerie answered with a sly smile throwing a pillow at David. He let out a rare laugh, throaty and genuine. The rest of the gain joined in, "Nice to meet you, Val." Paul shook her hand, "Nice to meet you too." She said back, liking her new nickname. Without Valerie noticing, David had told Star to get a bottle. He had sat up, and Star ran off into another part of the cave. When she came back, the rest of the gang was sitting up; she gave David the bottle. He opened it and said "To Valerie" before taking a swig of the bottle and like the joint he sent it around the group. After everyone in the room hand taken a swing at the bottle, it was handed off to Valerie, who took the bottle. She heisted, "Come on, Valerie, take a sip." David encouraged her, "Be one of us." "What is this a gang initiation?" Valerie asked, trying to make the room loosen up. "Kinda?" Star shrugged, making the girl chuckle a little, "Down the hatch." She took a swig, and as the liquid enter her mouth, she spits it all out, "Jesus Christ!" Valerie cried. She wasn't expecting the taste of the liquid. Star put her hand over her mouth, looking shocked. Davids' mouth hung open, and the boys looked shooked. The girl coughed, "Sorry," She said, still holding on to the bottle. "Let me try that again; I wasn't expecting that taste," She explains as she brought the bottle back to her lips and drank, sending the boys into an uproar. Paul picked Valerie up with excitement, spinning her, "One of us! One of us! One of us!" The group cheered, and she laughed happy to be part of something bigger than herself. Then the music changed from somber music to Seventeen by Winger as if the boom box had a mind of its own.

With the music, the cave came to life, sending the gang into a frenzy. The group danced, cheered, and partied around the cave drinking from the bottle and doing all sorts of drugs for most of the night before David decided it was time to go for a ride. David had told Star that he wanted Valerie to ride with him, so she went with Dwayne. David pulled Valerie on his bike and took off speeding into the night. 

When David stopped the bike, they were close to a railroad bridge. Valerie got off the bike and waited for the rest of the gang who were close behind. "What are we doing here, David?" Valerie asked innocently, still high as a kite and giggly as ever. "You'll see." He smirked at the intoxicated girl. The rest of the gang joined the two; Star got off of Dwayne's bike, almost falling over and laughed at herself for stumbling around. "Heeeeyyy," Valerie slurred, greeting her friend and help her stand upright. 

The boys walked ahead of the two, leaving the girls to stumble after them. "Hey, wait!" Star called after them. "Come on, girls, no one like a slowpoke!" Paul called back, laughing with Marko. David had to stop the group at the edge on the bridge. Before anyone said anything, both Marko and Paul jumped in between the gaps of the rails. Valerie let out a gasp, not expecting the two to do that. Even in her wasted mind, she was still spooked but was soon comforted when she heard the boys laughing. Dwayne then picked up Star, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. With his arms around Stars' waist, he too jumped through the gap. Valerie fell to the ground, trying to see past the holes only to see nothing but fog. 

"What the fuck." She whispered, now afraid of what was happening before her eyes. She could still hear her friends. "Come on," David said, gently pulling Valerie to her feet. She hadn't realized that she was crying until he wiped her tears from her face. "I need you to trust me." He told her, looking deep in her eyes. She nodded, and like Dwayne had done with Star, David jump in between the gaps carrying Valerie with him. She screamed at the top of her lungs, expecting to fall to her doom. Her surprise, David let go of her waist and was holding on to the underside of the railroad track. 

"What the fuck!?" She screamed; the group laughed at her. Just then, a train past over them, shaking the group while they held on. Valerie continued to scream and now freely crying. Her high wasn't making her feel any better; it just made her more paranoid and increased her sensitivity to her surroundings. As the train passed one by one, the members of the group drop down into the fog, causing Valerie more distress. She held on to David tighter and cried into his shoulder. 

"Do you trust me?" David asked her, calm as ever. "I'm afraid." she sniffed. "I need you to let go." She tightened her grip. "Need you to trust me and let go." She finally removed her face from his shoulder and looked into his eyes. She didn't even know this man, and yet she did trust him. Her gut told her that he would do anything for her. She was his family now, they all were. She blinked once, kissed his cheek, and let go. 

She was falling. And then she was floating. She opened her eyes and was met Star's face. She was smiling widely; she too was floating. Valerie looked past Star and saw that the boys were also hovering. Without her noticing, David had come down from the tracks and was too gliding with the group. "Welcome to the family." He whispered in her ear, "You're one of us now." He went on, "You're never going to have to be alone. Ever again." Part of her liked what he said; another part of her was still freaking out over the sensation of floating. 

The rest of the night was a blur. Valerie was still high and having a trip. They floated around the rail bridge for what felt like forever. Bathed in moonlight, the group horsed around in the sky. Laughing and living their lives. They had gone back on the bikes Valerie enjoyed the cold wind her hair. For the first time in her life, she was genuinely carefree.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ladies and Gentlemen welcome to the stage, Valerie Owens. She's cute, she's sweet, she's underweight because no one has fed her in years, she looks like Brooke Shiels with a wicket tan, and we/I love her. I have no idea what you guy think of her, all I'm gonna say is that she's the sweetest badass you'll ever meet. 
> 
> As always review, comment, and drop a hoe a Kudo!


	6. When The Night Comes Falling From The Sky - The Jeff Healey Band

Valerie had the most fantastic dream. She dreamed that she had flown in the sky and through clouds. Without opening her eyes, she stretched her arms over her head. Instead of feeling the soft blankets of the vast pile on the ground, her hands hit a cold hard surface. 'I must have rolled off the nest.' She thought to her self. When she opened her eyes, Valerie honestly felt like she was still dreaming, but everything felt so real. 

A giggle had woken Star up, after living with the boys for so long she had grown to know that a giggle often meant trouble and boy was she in trouble. When she opened her eyes, it took her a second to realize that Valerie was no longer beside her but was now on the ceiling. "Oh my god!" Star slapped her hands to her mouth, not knowing if she should laugh or scream. Valerie was now laughing aloud. "Hey, Star," The sleepy girl waved at Star, "Why are you upside down?" It was this that send Star into a slight panic. Not only was her friend hanging from the ceiling do to her new abilities, but she was still high from the night before! "Shit!" Star exclaimed, "Don't move! I'm going to be right back!" She called as she rushed to the area of the cave that the boys would retire to at the end of the night. It was Star demeanor that sent a pang of fear through Valerie as she waited. 

Star was still explaining the situation when she came back to the main room; she dragged David by the arm the boys followed closely behind. Each boy was in a different stage of undress. Marko had walked out wearing his boxers and the shirt from the night before; he was missing a sock. Paul was basically nake but had the decency to throw on a pair of shorts. Dwayne had walked out in his jeans and David was the only one that was actually still dressed, the only difference was that he had discarded his outer layers and was now sporting a black T-shirt. 

Valerie had begun to sober up and was panicking. "Look!" Star said, pointing up at the girl attached to the ceiling. "Shit." David groaned as he assessed the situation. "Guys! What's going on?" Valerie ordered from the ceiling. "Just hold on a second. We're going to get you down." Star called back from the ground turning to the gang. "Go get her," David told the boys they had been gazing at the girl. They lifted from the ground and slowly levitated up. "This isn't a dream!" Fear filled Valerie. "This is really happening!" The boys had gotten to her and pulled her back to the eath. They slowly brought her down, trying not to scare her more than she already was. 

When her feet her the ground again, she pushed the boys away. Dread taking full hold of her now. "What the fuck was that!?" She screamed, spinning, trying to find the leader of the gang. Stopping dead when she had her eyes on him. "David, what the fuck is going on?!" She walked to him, "What happened last night?" She asked, softer now, "What's going on?" She put her hands on his arms. She looked for the answer in his stoic face. "Please?" She begged, "Valerie." Star stared to walk gradually at the girl. "Honey, you gotta understand-" She started but was cut off by David, "You're a vampire." He said flatly. "Bullshit." She answered now in complete disbelief, "I'm just still high, and you're trying to prank me." She laughed lightly, thinking she had ruined their joke. "You're a blood-sucking vampire Valerie, just like us," David explained, "That's bullshit; you're a lier!" She cried, pulling her hands off of his arms. 

David grabs her arms roughly, pulling her closer to his face. "You're like us now, Valerie; you're one of us." He shook her as he spoke his voice becoming louder as he did so. "Stop it, David, you're scaring her!" Star tried to pull David off her friend. "Good, maybe she should be scared!" He screamed back at Star. He did what Star had hoped he wouldn't do. He fashed his real face, a monstrous vampiric face, that Valerie sent into fight or flight mode. She screamed at the top of her lungs and began to struggle in David's grip. When Valerie managed to free one hand, she pulled her arm as far as she could and then, SMACK! She sucker-punched David squares in the face. Just like she did so many times before with so many truck drivers. A sickening snap rang from the hit. She had broken David's nose; he threw her on the ground. She scrambled to the cave entrance, but the boys had been blocking it.

"Please let me go!" She begged to the boys that wouldn't even look at her because they were too busy looking at David as he clutched his face in hands. David's laugh roar throughout the cave. "Don't you understand?!" He called after her, "You're a blood-sucking, night crawling, human-killing vampire!" His laugh grew louder. "And you're a fucking lier!" She screamed back at him; she turned around to look at David who's nose look perfect, she watched as the blood that had been dripping out of it slowly retreated up to his nose. 

It was that made her push against the boys harder; all logic was out the window. "Technically," David continued as he sauntered up to the struggling girl, "You're only a halfling." She stepped away from the boys and David starting the cat and mouse game she had been dreading "But don't worry, we can fix that." He said, lunging at the girl. Valerie ducked away from him and the rest of the boys. Star and watched in horror. 

"I'm so sorry, Valerie!" Star cried from where she stood on the edge of the fountain. "If I had known this is how you were going to react, I would have tried to warn you." Star pleaded with Valerie as the girl ran around the cave, playing keep-away with the boys. "Fuck you, Star!" She yelled as she got around Marko and passed Dwayne. Finding her chance to get up those steps that leads up to her freedom, she ran. "Shit!" Paul groaned from the spot he had fallen to after Valerie had pushed him off one of the couches. 

"Star," David said from the other end of the room, breathing heavy, "You're going to have to go get her." Star was about to start protesting before she realized that it was the middle of the day. She sighed to her self and began to walk up the step before David stopped her. He gave her a pair of sunglasses, he snapped his finger, and Paul threw him his pair. David then gave Star the second pair, which she instantly knew what they were for; she suddenly rushed up the steps. 

When she reached the top of the step, Star threw on Paul's aviators and stepped into the sunlight. It had been a while since she had gone outside during the day. It made her skin crawl, it didn't feel good to be out in the sun, yes being a halfling meant that she could, but it also meant her that skin and eyes are now susceptible to the sun. When Star stepped out in the sun, she was met with Valerie on the ground; she had one hand covering her eyes and the other she used to feel her way around the cave opening. The sun must have blinded her, and that's why she was struggling to find the wooden staircase. 

"Valerie?" Star spoke meekly, "Fuck off, Star!" Valerie answer harshly, making Star flinch. "Valerie, please, you have to understand-" "Understand what!?" Valerie cut her off, squinting at the girl who held out a pair of wayfarer sunglasses. Valerie unceremoniously ripped the glasses out of Star's hand and shoved them on her face. "That I'm all sorts of fucked up!?" She continued, "That I fucked up so badly with my choice of people that I ended up befriending shit sucking vampires!? Tell me, Star!? What the actual fuck am I to understand?!"

Star took a deep breath. "We were just following orders, Valerie." Valerie had begun to pace back and forth. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Valerie was having none of it, "Come inside, and I'll explain everything to you." "Fuck you, Star. I don't want anything from you. I'm just gonna go." Valerie made her way to the stairs but stopped when Star asked her where she was going to go. "I don't know," Valerie answered, "Away from you." "Valerie, look," Star tried to reason with her, "You're wearing nothing but underwear and an oversized t-shirt," Valerie looked down at herself, "You look crazy, and you're miles away from any sort of civilization." She was right Valerie did look crazy. She looked Star dead in the sunglasses; she could see that Star had been crying. "I'm not going back in there until you explain everything to me." Star sighed, knowing that there was no point in arguing with Valerie, but she also knew that she didn't have all the answers. 

Star started her explanation with just that; she told Valerie that she didn't know all the details, but that Star would tell her all that she knew. Star told Valerie that David was ordered to turn her into a vampire by their maker. And that the gang planned Star bumping into Valerie, that giving her a place and friends was all just part of the plan. "So, this was all just a lie?" Valerie was now crying the same way that Star had been and was again. "No, Valerie, it's all real!" Star panicked. She meant it when she said that they all really like her and wanted her around, she even promised her that. 

"If you want, I'm sure David can take you to Max," Star told Valerie as both girls calmed down. "Max?" Valerie asked, confused, "What does Max have anything to do with this?" Star stretched for her friend's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, "He'll explain everything better, now can we please go back inside before we get any tanner?" She asked, pulling the other girl into the cave, Valerie still had her guard up, but she followed Star back inside. "I do want David to take me to your maker," Valerie told Star her thoughts were going a million miles an hour, she tore her hand out of Stars. "I'll let him know." She told Valerie looking at the ground feeling sick for her actions was they split ways, one heading to the nest of blankets on the floor and the other to a group of boys who had been sitting around waiting for the girls to come back. 

"So what's the verdict?" David asked sitting on his wheeled thrown, Paul and Marko sat on one couch still in their boxers, Star sat next to Dwayne on the other couch. "I promised her that you would take her to talk with Max tonight." David groans at the thought of deal with Max, but if it fixes the gap in the bridge, he had mostly burned between himself and Valerie, then he would do it. "So it's settled," Dwayne spoke up from his side of the couch. David nodded, "Thank god!" Paul said, stretching as the other boys got up and headed back to their side of the cave. 

Star made her way to the nest on the floor and laid down next to Valerie. She tired smiled at the girl on the ground, but she wouldn't make eye contact with her, anger radiating from her small frame, "Hi." Star greeted kindly, "Hey." Valerie answered bitterly; both girls now realized that they were exhausted. "You okay?" Star asked Valerie, she nodded still, not looking at her, "I will be," She replied, "I'm just scared I'm gonna end up on the ceiling again." She breathed in deeply, trying to get comfortable. "Don't worry; I won't let you," Star said at her, Valerie nodded again, and with that, the girls went back to sleep for the rest of the day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not gonna lie I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter. Something about isn't right, y'all let me know how it feels to you. 
> 
> How would you feel if you were tricked into becoming a Lost Boy vamp? I think I'd be pretty pissed, I mean if they would have asked I think I'd say fuck it up boy but getting tricked into it is kinda fucked up.
> 
> As always review, comment, and drop a hoe a Kudo!


	7. Shout - Tears For Fears

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please go back and re-read the last chapter, I edited it to make Valerie's reaction more hostile towards the group. 
> 
> Sorry, it took so long for this chapter. I had a really hard time writing it. I tried really hard to convey emotion into it and I hope that it came across that way. 
> 
> PSA This chapter has borderline Non-Con/Rape elementals so trigger warning. 
> 
> As always review, comment, and drop a hoe a Kudo!

Valerie had not slept well. She tossed and turned for most of the night before settling on her back. Valerie stared at the ceiling for the rest of the day. She must have only gotten an hour of sleep that night. Star was the first one to wake from the group; she told Valerie that it would be a good idea to get cleaned before she went to Max. Star took Valerie to the spa and turned the water on for her. She then left Valerie alone in the room to fetch her a change of clothes and something to dry off. 

Valerie took a prolonged time in the water, something about it helping her calm down. Being cleaned from the night before helped her feel slight relief. Star had remembered that Valerie didn't like being alone in the spa, so she had remained with her back turned to the girl as she sat at the entrance of the room. When Valerie decided to be done with her shower, she found that Star had brought her a sheet to dry off with like the first time she had used the fountain shower. With the sheet she brought Valerie a fresh pair of underwear, and a dress. The dress had bishop sleeves, and a deep v-neck, it flowed to Valerie's ankles. With the dress, Valerie found her boots and a pair of socks. The dress was a faded pink; for some reason, Valerie felt like she probably looked like a goddamn cult leader's wife. It was then that she realized that the whole time she had been in the cave, she never saw a mirror. 

With her hair thrown up in the sheet, Valerie walked past Star and headed back to the main room. She didn't look at Star or talked to her, still bitter from the night before. Valerie did give Star the hairbrush they had used on her first night in the cave. Star began to detangle and style Valerie's hair. It was then that the boys entered the room, wiping the sleep off their eyes and stretching their arms. Valerie didn't make eye contact with any of them, and they didn't talk to her. None of them knowing what to say or do to gain the girl's trust or forgiveness. They didn't even talk among themselves; this was odd because Paul never shut up, but that night, he was deathly quiet and kept his eyes on the ground. 

David was the one who broke the silence; he walked to the two girls who sat in the nest of sheets. Valerie looked up when David asked her if she was ready. Valerie only nodded her head, he had offered her his hand, but she didn't take it. She got up on her own and walked to the steps that lead to the cave entrance. If she had turned back to look at the group, she would have seen tear-stained faces and red eyes. The way that Valerie had made the group feel was something else. She had set them on fire, and seeing her cry like she had the night before broke their hearts when she wouldn't even look at them the next morning, it destroyed them. 

David and Valerie walked to the motorcycles. David swung his leg over his bike and started the vehicle. He kicked the stand back and held the bike up he tried to offer his hand to help Valerie get on the bike, but once again she refused to take it. She instead picked up her dress and climbed on the bike. David sat down and took off. Valerie held the skirt of her dress and tried her hardest not to touch David, as if a simple brush of his jacket would burn her. David didn't drive like he usually did; he was careful and slower than usual. He drove past the boardwalk, through the town center, by the commercial part of the hamlet, beyond the suburbs and up the hills that border Santa Carla.

There, overlooking, Santa Carla stood Max's home. It was a modern house, white walls, and large windows. David pulled up the gates. He was sure that they would come across the demonic dog at the gates, but it was nowhere to be seen. Max must have since the two teenagers make their way to the house from miles away. After all, there was no sneaking up on the ancient vampire. David stopped the bike. Valerie did her best to get off the motorcycle without touching David only to fail. She held on to his shoulders for leverage. The touch burned David to his immortal soul. It released the flood gates of emotions he had held close for as long as he could from the night before. As Valerie walked to the gates of Max's house, tears began to well up in David's eyes; he watched her go, his hands held the bike handles tightly, turning his knuckles white. He desperately tried to compose himself. As Valerie crossed the gates, she took off running to the front door. She was running away from David. He knew that, and it demolished him, his facade fading as Valerie ran. She pounded on the door a few seconds later it open, and she slipped into the house. David stood forgotten silently weeping to himself, regretting his actions from the morning before. 

Inside the house, Valerie stubbled into the foyer Max closed the door behind her. "Max, you have to help me!" She was hysterical, "Valerie, slow down." Max said cooly, he was calm and had his hands in his pockets. "Max, please." She cried as he leads her to a den, it was clean, and all the furniture looked like it had come straight out of a catalog. "Now, why don't you calm down? Tell me what's going?" He asked her as he sat her down on the immaculate couch. He sat across her on the coffee table. She breathed deeply and replied, "Fucked up, Max." She ran a hand through her hair. Max nodded his head, "What do you mean, Valerie?" He asked, something odd underlaying in his voice. "Those people I told you about." She started, "They drugged me, Max, they lied to me, I'm fucked up, Max." She began to cry again. "They said that you were their leader, that you made them the way they are."

"Oh, Valerie, don't you understand'" He brushed the back of his hand on her cheek in a soothing manner that sent a chill through her body. "That wasn't a lie," He continued she snapped her head up, shock written across her face. Eyes wide in disbelief "Lies." She said as she gripped his wrist, pulling his hand away from her face. "I can't believe that." She stood up, letting go of his hand. She finally realized that she was alone. "Valerie," Max pleaded as he too stood up. "You have to understand that this is for the best." Valerie sent him a look of disgust. "For the best?" She asked, walking away from him, he followed her. "What about this the best?" She continued raising her voice as she marched to the front door. "Valerie, let me explain." Max tried cutting her off from the door; she stepped back. "Explain what, Max?" She asked, now scared. She continued to step back into the den. "This is real." He said his hands in front of him, trying to calm Valerie. "I chose you."

"Me?" She asked, still backing away. "Yes, you. You were perfect, everything I've been looking for." "How?" She asked her ankles, hitting the edge of the fireplace. "I could see it, feel it." He had her against the wall; she reached behind her, reaching for anything that she could use her hand landing on a flower base on the mantle. She grabbed it, turning it upside down, dumping the flowers and water on to the clean white carpet. She held it like a bat ready to swing if he cams any closer. "Shut up, Max." She told him, not liking what he was saying anymore. "Now, now, Valerie, why would you do that?" He asked, referring to the mess on the floor, still moving throws Valerie. "Don't come any closer?" She said the vase in her hands; he moved closer. 

CRASH!

The flower vase shattered over Max's head, Valerie ran to the door. Before she could touch the doorknob, Max was there roughly clutching on her wrist. "DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?!" He screamed, his vampiric face on full blast, Valerie screamed fearing for her life. "I CHOSE YOU!" Max dragged her by the hair back to the den. She thrashed, reaching for anything she could use for protection. "I SAVED YOU!" He threw Valerie across the room. She hit the floor with a harsh thud, Valerie screamed in pain. She coward on the carpet, trying to get away from Max. 

Outside the house, David stood next to his motorcycle. Screams and crying echoed. You'd think that the young vamp would have driven away from the home after the girl had rushed in. But he couldn't bring himself to move from the spot. The sounds from the house broke his heart, Valeries screams killed him. As much as he wanted to rush into the house and save her, he knew better. If he did that, Max would most likely put an end to his life. If being tricked into becoming a vampire didn't scar Valerie, then seeing his demise by the hand of their maker would. David stood next to his bike; he slid to the ground and held himself as he cried; he began to rock himself like a child. 

"I work so hard, and you kids are so ungrateful," Max spoke anger laced his voice. The room was wrecked. Furniture was upside down; the glass coffee table was shattered; all decorations in the room were scattered around. Max was hunching over Valerie his hand tightly, holding her arms over her head by the wrist, Valerie was silently crying, wholly defeated by Max. All her fight was gone, and he could see that. Max pulled her up into a sitting position; she had broken her into a docile state, submitting to him like that first time she had held his hands. "I saved you, Valerie," He spoke lightly, rubbing her now buried wrist. "From a life of truck drivers and evil people taking advantage of you." He noted the irony of not hitting him. Valerie didn't say anything. 

Max pulled her on his lap as he played with her hair; he began to explain why he had picked her. "I chose you because you were humble. I was initially going to kill you for my next meal. A little nobody like you wouldn't be missed," Max laughed lightly "When you touched my hand and looked at me the way you did, I knew you'd be the perfect mother." Fear run-up Valerie's spin. "No, don't worry, child," Max chuckled at Valerie and patted her back. "You'll only be a motherly representing for my children; you already met them, the Lost Boys." Valerie still didn't understand. Max sighed and continued.

"You see Valerie I need someone to keep those boys from running a mock. Star was originally that person, but she was a failure, no backbone." He stated, waving his hand in the air. "You, my dear, are going to be my eyes and ears from now. So we're going to have to be friends, and we can be friends as long as you behave." He told her as he stood both of them up and began to walk Valerie to the door. "We won't have any problems; it's not like you can run now that you belong to me." Max saw the look of confusion written on Valerie's face, "You see," He started his hand on the doorknob, "Because you are of my blood I can make you do anything, it's a perk of being a maker, total control of our offspring." Valerie frowned, "You have a set perimeter, there's only so far you can go." Max smiled before getting especially close to Valerie's ear. "Don't tell anyone of what we talked about, that's an order," Max whispered in Valerie's ear before shoving her out the door. 

Valerie stubbled out of the house, she walked away and through the gates. Her eyes are falling on David before she collapsed to the group wailing from fear that had been building up. She held herself, David walked to her, falling to his knees and enveloping the defeated girl. She wept into his arms as he rocked them like he had done for himself earlier. They were in that position for a long time before the two finally got a hold of themselves. Exhausted, Valerie spoke up, "What am I going to do?" She asked her voice raw and empty, "You're with us now," David answered, his voice equally rough, "You can do whatever you want." She was going to tell David that that wasn't what Max had told her. But something would not allow her to say that no matter how hard she tried. So she remained silent before she told David that she didn't want to go back to the cave yet. He nodded into her hair, pulling Valerie off of the groud their knees sore from the kneeling positions they had been. They silently walked to the bike, for the first time since Valerie had gotten on any of the motorcycles she wrapped her arms around Davids's waist and laying her head on his left shoulder. They drove off into the night and away from their makers' homes.


	8. Human - The Human League

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all, it's been a long time. I'm sorry I've been gone for so long but that's what happens when you have to go back to school right? Well, now I'm back and I promise to update as much as possible before I have to go back. Wish me luck and enjoy, as always reviews, comment, and leave a hoe a Kudo!

* * *

Valerie held on to David, knowing that she didn't have the strength to hold herself upright on the bike. She rested her head on his shoulder, her eyes red, and cried out. She was exhausted, and as much as Valerie would love to go to sleep for a year, Valerie knew that she wasn't ready to go back to the cave that was now her forever home. She had told David she wasn't prepared to go back; he had nodded his head and helped her on to the bike. They drove back the way they came, but instead of going back to the cave, they went to a different part of the bluff. David drove in the gentle manner that he had earlier. Valerie had wrapped her arms around David's middle, he had tenderly placed his hand over her arms. He kept one hand on them and the other on a handle while he drove, lightly rubbing his thumb on her arms. 

David stopped the bike at a new cliffside. The moon was high in the sky; he helped Valerie off the bike. She managed to squeeze out a thank you from the back of her dry throat. She looked around her, taking in the scene of the night. The world was peaceful and warm; it soothed Valerie's violated soul. David watched Valerie as she inched her way to the edge of the cliff. For once in his life, dead or alive, he felt horrible for his actions. David knew that he had ruined the girls' life or so it felt like. He quietly walked to Valerie; her eyes were closed; she stretched her arms above her head, reaching for the gentle breeze. 

"Val?" David called for her as he reached his arm out, hesitate to touch her. As if touching her would burn him. She didn't turn to him or open her eyes. She hummed as a response, "Val?" David asked again as he reached for her turning her to face him. "I need to show you something," Valerie said nothing but nopped as David took her hand "Come on   
I need to show you something." He said again as he began to levitate from the clifftop. "I'm afraid David," Valerie said as she looked up to him, her eyes sad and weak. "I don't think I can." David took her other hand, leaned forward to whisper in her ear, "Trust me." He whispered in her ear, once again, tears began to well up in her eyes. "Look where that me got me, David." Her voice so raw it hurt David, causing him to descend from hovering above her. His lips never leaving her ear. "I'm sorry." He whispered the phrase he rarely, if not at all, said.

Valerie slowly moved her hands from his, only to wrap her arms around David. He had then move is his lips to her neck, where her pulse was slow and barely there. "This is wrong." Valerie said, muffled by Davids overcoat, "I shouldn't be seeking comfort from you. After all, you help turn me into this, this, this thing, this monster." She continued, "I'm sorry." David mumbled into her neck. "I really am," He said after moving away from her neck to get a good look at her, her arms still around him. "We shouldn't have done this the way we did, but Max wanted..." Valerie cut him off, knowing that he would tell her that it was an order, not a request, "I know we're all victims here." David then rested his lips, her forehead.

"David?" Valerie asked a while after, David hummed to let her know he was listening. "I think we're going to be okay." This brought a ghost of a smile to David's lips. "Now, what did you want to show me?" Valerie looked up to David, they had begun to float without Valerie noticing, "You'll see." He said as he pulled her over the end of the cliff and started their slow descent to the small hidden beach at the bottom of the bluff. The moon bathed the beach in blue light, casting a magical glow, causing the sand to look almost white in the night.

The sand felt smooth as they landed on the beach, "Where are we?" Valerie asked, still in David's arm. "This is our beach," David said as he watched Valerie look around. "Blood bags can't come down here, it's hidden by the cliff's edge." "Blood bags?" Valerie ripped herself from his arms. "You mean people?" She asked a scowl on her face, "I mean humans." He said plainly, "Humans." She said, realizing that she was no longer human herself. 

"I don't think I like that..." Valerie said, walking away from David and towards the water. "You're gonna have to get used to it." He said, strolling after her, "You're gonna have to feed eventually." That made Valerie stop in her tracks. "Feed?" She asked a tremor in her voice. "Yes. If you want to be a full-blown bona fide creature of the night, you're gonna have to tear into some human flesh." That was not the most accommodating way to put it, then again, David was not a gentle creature. "Wait." Valerie realized, "What do you mean if I want to be a full-blown creature?" She started, "Aren't I a vampire? Isn't this it?" The wave of confusion hit Valerie like a ton of brick, causing her to sit down. "Calm down, girl." David bark, "I'm going to explain everything if you calm down." David sat down next to Valerie, stretching his legs out in front of himself as he rested on his elbows. 

Valerie held her head in her hands, "What the fuck David?!" David grunted at her reaction. "Damnnit, Star should be doing..." He said to himself, "Listen, Valerie, are you gonna listen to me, or am I just wasting my time trying?" David breathed with frustration, Valerie took a deep breath after a couple of seconds. "Yes." Then David went on to explain the rules of the group, Max, the way of survival, and her transformation. Shortly after he began, Valerie took off her boots, and David took off his outer layers. 

"Rule one," David stated, "We always stick together, no one does anything alone, it's not safe-" "Wait, wasn't Star alone when she 'bumped' into me?" Valerie interrupted, "We had eyes on both of you the whole time you two were bonding." David scuffed, a bit annoyed at being interrupted. "Rule two," He continued, "We share everything, food, clothes, jewelry, blood, anything we might take off a body..." That last part made Valerie a little nauseous, "Rule number three, and this is the most important," He pointed out, "No sunlight, ever. You halflings might be able to tolerate the sun, but us full-fledged vamps can't so no sunlight ever." "Halfling?" Valerie asked, "Yes, I'll get there." 

"Now, Max has set rules for us." David started on his second part of the rules. "We do everything he says, everything. I'm sure he told you about commands." Valerie looked at David and answer, "He might have mentioned it, but I was fearing for my life at the time..." "Yes," David craned his neck, "Well how commands work is if Max says jumps you jump automatically and without question, self-control or will power." "How does that even work?" Valerie asked, still confused. "I don't actually know how it works, but I do know that once a command is said, it gets done." David looked out into the ocean. "All I know is that you can't fight it." There was a long silence before David continued. 

"Anyway, it's rare for Max to give commands to anyone other than me, which leads me to the chain of command. Max tells me to provide you guys with most of his orders. Which will get completed unless you have a death wish." David looked at Valerie, who was resting her head on her knees as she watched David talk. "Dwyane is my second in command. Marko then Paul follow by Star, then you; that's the chain." Valerie nodded, taking in the information. 

"Max has his rules as well. We stay out of the neighborhoods, we do not leave the town, we don't hunt for people of notoriety, we stay out of his store and stick to our own hunting ground. But you won't have to worry about that yet. Follow the rules, and you'll be just fine, also don't do anything that Paul tells you to do. Shithead will try anything, he almost got Star to believe that we couldn't go into open water. Again he is a shithead." Valerie giggled a little that made David feel a bit better now that they were finally calming down. 

"What can hurt us? And what's all this about halflings?" Valerie asked, David took in a deep breath and began. "Well, if you ever read Dracula, you'd know that a wooden stake to the heart means death to us. Sunlight as well, of course, holy water and garlic can hurt us." David looked at Valerie, "Can silver hurt us?" She asked, "If it did, your fingers would have fallen off by now." She looked at her rings, realizing that she was still wearing the rings that she had worn her whole life. Her life, a life that was gone; it died when she had taken a drink from that bottle. She looked at her hands for a long time before asking David about the halfling again. 

"I think it's best to let Star fill you in on that," David started as he got up stretching his arms overhead, "The sun is gonna come up soon, and I am not about to turn into ash." He threw on his jackets and waited for Valerie to put her boots back on. David then extended his hand out to her, and together they lifted off back up to the top of the cliff.


	9. Kickstart My Heart - Mötley Crüe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I had to re-write this chapter, it was too short and ended weird. As always review, comment, and leave a hoe a Kudo!

When Valerie and David finally made it back to the cave just before sunrise. Star was sitting on her bed, her ankles crossed; in her hands was a book. She was struggling to pay attention to the reading material, too worried about Valerie and David. Marko was laying on one of the couches reading a comic, Paul was looking for something in the vast music collection, and Dwyane was once again tinkering with his motor.

David walked in first, followed by Valerie, he walked straight to his throne. Valerie reached the fountain, and like she had the first night when she had walked into the cave, she took the room in. Star put her book down and sat up, "Hey!" She announced. Valerie looked at her and gave her a weak smile. "Welcome back, girl!" Paul hollered as he walked to Valerie throwing an arm around her shoulder, causing Marko and Dwyane to look up from their devices. "Hey, sweet cheeks!" Marko called from across the fountain, "Hey," Valerie said back meekly. "How are you feeling?" Star asked, walking over to the girl. "Better, I guess?" Valerie shrugged her shoulders, "Really tired."

"Yeah! Probably because you two been out all night!" Paul said, looking at David a bit peeved about being cooped up all night. David said nothing but gave Paul a look that shut him up real quick. "Not gonna lie. I think I'm ready to catch a wink!" Marko stretched as he talked. "Same." Dwayne nodded, speaking for the first time since the two members of the band got back. "Yeah, let's all go to bed," Star said, taking Valerie's hand, trying to pull her to the bed they had shared the first night.

"Actually," Valerie started pulling her hand from Star's, "I think it'd be best for me to be alone for a bit..." She looked away from Star to David. "Is there somewhere I can be alone?" Before he could answer, Star jumped in, "Of course," She sounded a bit hurt, "We can pull one of the mattresses off my bed." "Yeah," David said, poison in his voice, "Do that, move her over to the music stash." David got up from thrown Dwayne behind him as he walked back into the area that the boys slept.

"Well, you heard the man," Marko said, slapping. Paul, on the back, "Hey!" He said following Markos lead to pull the mattress. "Sorry," Valerie looked at Star, drawing her attention from the boys. "I have a lot to think about." "Don't be," Star looked at Valerie, who looked exhausted. "You've been through a lot. We've all have."

Paul and Marko carried the mattress to the music area that was in a nook of the cave wall. Once they dropped the bed, they walked back to their sleeping hole with David and Dwayne. Star then grabbed her spare sheets and helped Valerie fix the bed. "If you want tomorrow, we can go looking for curtains or something to make your area more homie or something..." Star said, making the bed the tension in the air could be cut with a knife. "Sure." It was all that Valerie said, as she pulled her suitcase to the bed, taking the stolen t-shirt she had been sleeping in for the last few days. "Have a good sleep," Star told Valerie as she made her way to her bed. The fires died down, leaving the cave bathed in darkening.

* * *

Three nights. Three fucking nights since Paul had seen the light of the moon. Max had given the order that no one was to leave the cave until Valerie was good and ready to go out and live her life. But that wasn't happening! Paul was losing his shit; he needed to go outside. Valerie had been in bed the whole time since she was brought back. She hadn't moved, hadn't talked, hadn't done anything. Star had tried to talk to her, but all Valerie did was turn her back to Star. Marko tried as well, and he also did not succeed trying to cheer her up. Hell, even Dwyane tried and failed.

So it was all up to Paul now; after all, David wasn't going to try. He'd been stuck with her for a whole night, and this is the aftermath of that. Paul was not compassionate or gentle or considerate or anything that could help Valerie. But he was going to try anyway because if he didn't, he was probably going to kill himself.

Valerie was boarder line catatonic, all she did was think and think again. She thought about her life, how she lived her life, where she went wrong. All the things her mama told her; all the life lessons. She mourned her life; she died that night. She cried silently; she held herself and cried. She would never see the sun, feel the warmth and vitality that came with it. It was all gone. Paul walked up to where Valerie was lying. Valerie's bed overtook the formal music alcove; she was lying, staring at the cave wall.

What happened next was the definition of a shit show. Paul lifted Valerie by the waist and threw her over his shoulder. Star had been sitting on her bed, Marko was reading the same comic he had been reading when David and Valerie had returned from their trip. Dwayne was yet again messing with his motor as David was sitting in his chair, flipping through his Rolling Stone magazine. Their heads snapped at the commotion coming from the two struggling teenagers. Paul carried Valerie to the bathroom, followed by the rest of the group as she screamed and kicked, trying to get out of his grasp. "Paul, what the hell do you think you're doing?!" Star called after him. "Put me down!" Valerie yelled as she struggled to get out of Paul's grip. The rest of the group was following out of curiosity.

With Valerie over his shoulder, Paul turned on the showers in the bathroom, causing the pool to fill up to their knees. Paul then threw Valerie into the water. "You listen to me!" Paul said, holding Valerie by the shoulders in the water. "You've been given the chance of a lifetime, sweetheart! Immortality! The opportunity to party! To the freedom of being young forever! Being with us! US!" Paul yelled at Valerie, "You can hate us all you want, but you're stuck with us! And we actually really like you! Which says something because we hate everybody!" Everyone in the room nodded at each other, knowing that everything that Paul was yelling was right. "Fuck you!" Valerie finally yelled back, "You people ruined my life!" Paul laughed "We saved your life! For fuck's sake, you had nothing before we took you in! You didn't even have shoes!" It hit Valerie like a ton of bricks, Paul was right. Her life before them wasn't proper or safe, hell it wasn't even right. At least now she had people, people who cared about her, a roof over her head, and safety.

Valerie slid down, crying soaked to the bone. Paul sat down with her in the water and held her face, "We might not have chosen you, but we want you." He said as Valerie cried hold on to his wrist. "I'm sorry," She cried, "Don't be," Paul said, pulling her into a hug. They sat the water for a second before Marko decided to join the hug, shortly followed by Star. "Aw, Dwyane, David, join us!" Paul teased. Dwyane and David watched their pack members get soaked in the shower holding Valerie, who was still crying. "Join us! Join us! Join us!" Star, Marko, and Paul started chanting. Finally, with a grunt, Dwayne joined the group getting just as wet. "Daaaaaaviiiiiid!" Paul called out teasingly, "Jooooiin uuuuus!" Marko added. David scuffed, watching his makeshift family being dorks, "Do it." Dwyane said, looking at David from his spot. David sighed and walked to the group putting a hand on Valerie's shoulder, she in-turn, put her hand on his, their fingers intertwining.

"I'm fucking cold," Valerie said from under the group, "Same," Paul said, still hold on to her. "Come on, guys, let's get out the water before we all catch a cold," Star said laughter in her voice. "Yeah, guys," Marko added, "We're gonna catch our deaths." causing everyone to start laughing at the inside joke. "What's so funny?" Valerie asked as Dwyane helped her to her feet. "We're already dead." Paul cackled, slapping David on back, his deep laughter mixing with the bunch.

"Can we go somewhere?" Valerie asked as the group walked out of the spa Dwyane's arm draped around her shoulders. She was beginning to feel claustrophobic after staring at the wall for so many days. That question made Paul stop dead in his track. He cranked his neck to look at Valerie over his shoulder. Then with all his might and pent up energy, he yelled out, "BEACH!" earning a hoot and a holler from the group. Everyone then started rushing to the main cavern changing out of their wet clothes, gathering music, the boom box, the mix-matched surfboards, a beach ball, beach chairs, and everything one could need for a day or night at the beach.

"How are they going to get all this stuff to the alcove?" Valerie asked Star as they dug through Star's clothes looking for swimsuits. "They have their ways," Star said as she threw Valerie a pair of black bikini bottoms and a neon pink athletic swim top, grabbing a pair of black swim trunks for herself and a neon yellow tube top. They walked into the bathroom to get dressed as the boys ran around, still gathering things.

When Star finished getting herself dressed, she wrapped one of her shawls around her waist. "Hey, Star," Valerie called from behind the curtain of one of the dressing stalls. "Yeah?" Star asked as she walked over to Valerie, who was poking her head out of the curtain. "I'm feeling a little exposed..." Star raised her eyebrow. "Says the girl who runs around in nothing but a t-shirt!" Star grabbed the curtain, pulling it open, revealing a scantily clad Valerie. "Now, look at you!" Star cat called her friend. "Shut up!" Valerie said, walking back to the main cave.

And so the wolf whistles and catcalls began. "Oh, shut up!" Valerie yelled, turning red like a tomato. "Yeah, guys, leave her alone!" Star added as she wrapped Valerie in a shawl. "Now, how are we going to get all this junk to the beach?" Valerie asked, still flustered by the attention. "Big Bertha," Dwyane answered, holding a stack of beach chairs. "Who's Big Bertha?" Valerie asked as everyone made their way to the wooden staircase.

"You'll see," Dwyane answered again when the group made their way to the top of the bluff they went passed their motorcycles and walked into the woods. Where there hidden under branches and a military tarp was an old beaten up Volkswagen bus. No way in hell could that thing still run, thought Valerie as she helped the gang pile their stuff on top of the van. To her surprise, the damn thing came to life when Dwayne turn the key, with a bang and a pop the bus took off.

They parked the van as close to the edge of the cliff as they could. Paul and Marko jumped out before the bus had stopped running. They grabbed what they could carry and threw themselves off the edge. Valerie carried what Dwayne handed to her from the rack on top of the van. When she could take no more, she made her way to the edge of the cliff. Just before she stepped off, Star pulled back. "Whoa there! What are you doing?!" her voice tied with concern, "Going down to the beach?" Valerie answered, bewildered. "God, David!" Star shouted at him over her shoulder, "What?" David replied innocently. "You didn't tell her anything, huh?" Now Valerie was perplexed. "I told her enough," David stated as he wrapped his arm around Stars' waist, they proceeded to bicker as they descended the cliffside. "I feel like I ain't never gone figure this whole vampire thing out," Valerie told herself as Dwayne wrapped his arm around her waist like David had done with Star. "You'll figure it out." He replied, looking ahead as they too began their descent.

When they landed, Star was still giving David a hard time as they began to set up the bond fire. Dwayne let go of Valerie and went to help David. Paul and Marko had stripped to their board shorts and were out on the surf. "So, are you going to explain to me the whole halfling thing or?" Valerie asked, her arms heavy with the stuff she carried. "Really, David, you didn't even tell her that?!" Star roared at David, who literally looked like he couldn't care less as he popped open a beer. "Okay, I guess I have a lot to explain." Star took Valerie's things and opening up the beach chairs. They sat together, and Star began to explain what a halfling is.

"Well, I guess that I'll begin by telling you that WE are halflings," Star observed Valerie, trying to find the right worlds. The fire illuminating their faces. "Okay, what does that mean?" Valerie asked, still perplexed. "It means that you two are only half vampires." Dwyane butted in sitting lazily in his beach chair jacket discarded, beer bottle in hand. David smirked, looking at the two girls. "Okay, so what does that mean?" Valerie questioned again, still confused, "It means that you're not fully powered up." He responded, handing Dwyane another bottle who handed it to Valerie, who gave it to Star. "You got any soda in there?" Valerie asked a bit bashful, "I don't like beer..." She stated, looking straight into the fire. "Yeah," Dwyane answered slight chuckling in his voice.

Valerie got herself an orange soda, "So I'm a half-vampire, which means that I can't do regular Vampire things?" frustration in her voice. She cracked open the can standing over Dwyane and David the bond fine illuminating her. "That sounds about right!" Paul said out of nowhere, swinging his wet arm over Valerie's shoulder, sending a cold shock up her spine. "You can't fly without help," Marko added, taking her soda. "Or, you might end up in the stratosphere." He drank from the can. "That's nice, I guess," Valerie said, pushing Paul off of her. "You can tolerate the sun, but it'll leave you with a nasty headache," David added. "You'll heal faster than a normal human, like a ton faster." Marko joined in, "Unlike a real vampire that can only be hurt by certain things." "I know that," Valerie said, taking her soda back. "You'll age a lot slower, too," Star told her, "You could stay 18 for a long time before you start to actually age." "Unlike an actual vampire who don't age at all." David finished.

"Well, this had been entertaining, but we are at the beach, and I want to fuck around!" Valerie stretched in her chair over getting schooled by the senior members. She then got up and discarded Stars shall. Valerie ran straight into the ocean and plunged in. The water was cold at first, but she got used to it after a short while. She could hear Marko and Paul hollering from the beach. She was soon followed in by the two blondes and Star.

The rest of the night was ablur. Dwayne and David never got in the water, but they did discard their boots and jackets and walked the shoreline while the others played in the water. They danced around in the fire to Gun 'n' Roses, Mötley Crüe, and other rock bands, while David and Dwanye watched drinking their beers. Then when the night whined down, Valerie felt the euphoria she had felt on her first night with the group. If this was what the rest of her undead life was going to feel like, she'd be happy for the rest of it.


	10. Changes - David Bowie

Valerie could not get her eyes off of Paul; it was just too strange. When the group had made their way back to Big Bertha, Valerie had finally noticed that all of Paul's hair had been weighed down by the water; now sticking to his face. The boy looked like a wet cat, and hippie had a child. "Damn, girl, I know I'm pretty hot, but you don't have to keep starring at me like that," Paul said as they got in the bus, Valerie was sandwiched between Marko and Paul in the back seat. Dwyane was driving; David sat shut gun, and Star sat in between then with her head on David's shoulder. "She's staring at you," David said, throwing a glance over Star's head, "because you look like a -" "Wet cat," Valerie finished. David smirked at Paul's shocked face, Marko roared into the laughter as the van rolled on.

The gang made their way to the cave dumbing their stuff as they walked in; Star called dibs for the showers causing the guys to groan with the complaint. "Why can't we all shower together?!" Paul called after them getting a chuckle from Marko. "Not even in your dreams!" Valerie called back, sticking her tongue out at him. "Yeah, you wet cat!" Star added, pushing Valerie to move faster.

After their shower, Valerie and Star found the boys sitting in somewhat of a circle. None of them were talking, but they looked like they were having a conversation, hand gestures, and faces full of attitude and questions. "I don't get it is just too weird!" Paul finally spoke, throwing his arms up in defeat. "What's too weird?" Valerie asked, walking up behind the couch. Paul was sitting in as she dried her hair. "Uh." Paul looked at David as if asking for help. David and Dwayne simply got up and walked towards the showers. "You are!" He finally answered, looking at her. Marko laughed, getting up. "Oh, that's rich coming from a wet rat!" Marko laughed harder, "Oh, you hear that!" He laughed, slapping Paul on his bareback, "You've been demoted from cat to rat!" He smiled, "You're a rat!" Paul tried back, "You smell like a fish go shower!" Valerie answered. All Paul could do is stick his tongue out at Valerie as Marko pushed him away. Valerie replied by sticking her tongue out.

"Wow." Valerie turned to Star, who was sitting on her bed, brushing her hair. "What?" Valerie walked to her friend, sitting next to her. "I never thought that they'd let anyone talk to them like that. Especially someone who just got here." Valerie gave her a questioning looking. Star stopped brushing her hair. "All I'm trying to say is that they've never been that friendly with me. I mean, they would never let me talk to them the way they let you. They kind of just tolerate me enough to live with me; they mostly just ignore me..." Star's word vomit made Valerie raise an eyebrow. "I'm pretty sure they all freaking hate me... I guess you could say that my days are numbered now that you're here. I no longer serve a purpose..." Star's smiling face melted into fear.

"Woah!" Valerie finally spoke up after letting Star spill her guts. "What are you talking about?" Valerie got off the bed kneeling in front of Star, who had started to cry. She took her hands and looked up. "Listen, I'm pretty sure that the guys like you just fine; after all, you and David seem to be pretty close." Star nodded her head as she listened. "Besides, if they have a problem with you, then they sure as hell gone have a problem with me!" That caused Star to smile "I mean it; ain't no one is gone hurt you while I'm still kicking." Star rested her forehead on Valerie's, her eyes closing. She could feel the girl's breath on her lips; slowly, their lips came together. Valerie had never kissed anyone before, Stars lips were soft and left her lips tingling. "Uh," Valerie started eye moving from Stars' lips to her sad eyes. Valerie's face was furiously red. "Hi," was all she could get out. Star laughed as she let go of Valerie's hands; she touched her lips. "Hi." She said back. "Uh, I'm gonna go to bed," Valerie said as she got up from her knees. Both girls had smiles of pure joy painted on their faces.

* * *

Groans and moans filled the lobby of the fallen hotel; Star stirred awake from her peaceful slumber. It couldn't be nightfall yet, the sun hitting the side of the cliffs making the inside of the cave stuffy and hot. Half asleep, Star sat up in her bed; she was mad that she had been awakened. She looked around, trying to figure out where the sound was coming from as it bounced from the cave walls making the task hard for her. Soon enough, her eyes landed on Valerie, who was struggling in her bed, her blankets tangled around her ankles as she twisted and turned in her sleep. Star walked over to Valerie mad for waking her up; she must be having a nightmare, Star, though, as she kneeled beside Valerie's bed to find her friend wide wake with a pain expression painted across her face.

"Woah, kid, you're not looking too hot," Star said, leaning over to touch Valerie's face, heat emanating from her body. "Holy shit Val! You're burning up!" Valerie could only groan as she threw her body over the edge of the bed to puke into Star's lap, "Sorry!" Valerie said as she laid back into the mattress. "I thought y'all said we couldn't get sick." Valerie cried as Star walked back to her side of the lobby to clean herself up. "We can't." Star explained, "This is probably just you turning internally." "But haven't I been a halfling for like a week now?" She bounced back up to puke again. "Is it normal for me to be puking up my guts." "Just about." Star came to Valerie, she had changed into her nightclothes, a simple off the shoulder crop top and a long almost see-through skirt that was split open up her thigh. With her, she carried old cloths and a blow with water. She avoided Valerie vomit and placed the wet rags on Valerie's forehead. "I feel like I'm dying," Valerie said, sweat pulling on her clavicles. "You kind of are." Valerie's head snapped to look at Star. "You'll be okay, just gotta push through it." Star padded her shoulder, she tried to get up but was stopped by Valerie's hand, pulling her back. "Please stay." Valerie looked like a child; she looked scared and weak. It broke Star's heart to see her look like that. She sat on the edge of the bed and pulled Valerie's head onto her lap. "Just sleep for now. You'll feel better when you wake up."

When the boys walked out of their sleeping hole, they were greeted by the strong smell of vomit. "Ugh, what is that smell!?" Marko complained loudly, holding his hands over his nose. "Will, you shut up!" Star hissed, keep her hands over Valerie's burning ears, the girl still sleeping on her lap. "Valerie is finally turning, and she's not doing good!" Star fix the sweat-slicked hair off of Valerie's forehead. "Man, it's about its time," Paul said as he leaned over Star and Valerie getting a good look of the sleeping girl. "Wow, she is not looking good." His face held concern. 

"Not much that we can do," David said as he lounged on his chair. "Might as well go out." "Shit for real!" Paul answered loudly, causing Star to hit him over the head. "Yeah, you guys go out or whatever I'm going to stay here and take care of Val," Star told them, they did not hesitate to leave. As the boys left, Marko turned to Star. "Do you need anything for her?" Star snaped her gaze from Valerie to him, surprised to hear that from the cherub-faced vampire. "Can you get something to help break her fever and clean rags." Marko nodded, walking up the broken steps, "And some clean water!" Star called after him, "And Marko," he stopped walking and turned to Star, "Thank you." She said, earning another nod from the vamp. 

* * *

It didn't take Marko a long time to reach the pharmacy. He had told his brothers that he'd catch up with them later. He had walked up and down the aisles struggling to figure out what to get, he'd gotten the water and cloths, but he honest to go had no idea what to get for the fever. It'd been a while since Marko knew someone who was sick after all he and his brothers couldn't get sick, they were already dead. When Star had turned, they had just left her in the cave for a few days, but she did seem to be as sick as Valerie was now. To Marko, it looked like Valerie wasn't going to make it, which was possible after all, not everyone takes to vampirism like ducks to waters; some people straight up die. Marko had to stop himself from thinking about that. He liked Valerie; she was a spitfire type who didn't take shit from anyone, including David, and that took balls. 

Marko had finally given up and asked for help after going up and down the same aisle three times. The pharmacist had pointed a few products, all of which Marko got not knowing which would work best. It had been expensive, but when you kill people for a meal on the nightly, you also got to keep their money. Marko left with empty pockets but a hospital worth of medicine. He mounted his bike and took off back to the cave. 

When he walked into the cave, Marko found Star sitting the same way since he'd last seen her. She looked exhausted, and Valerie was still passed out on the bed. "Hey, so I didn't know what to get, so I just got everything." Marko handed the bag to Star, who went looking through it. "Man, kid, you look like trash," Marko commented, getting a better look at Star, he wondered how long she'd been up. She looked tired; the bags under her eye didn't help. Even as a halfling, sleep was a crucial part of half-dead life. "Thanks, you don't look so good either," Star mumbled as she woke Valerie up to give her the liquid medicine. 

Star was right Marko looked washed out and pale, not feeding did that to you if you went almost a week without eating anyone. "Look, let me take care of her for a little bit while you catch some sleep." Star looked at the vampire hard in the face. "Are you sure you wouldn't rather want to go eat someone instead?" Marko chucked at the girl, "I'll go out before daybreak the night is still young, and you look like death." Star thought long and hard before placing Valerie's head on an old pillow. She slowly got up and walked to her own been but not before turning around and looking at Marko. "Give her more of that stuff again in 2 hours." She then crashed into her bed, her legs hanging off the edge, her face buried in her pillows. 

Marko sighed and looked at Valerie; she looked so young in her sweaty state. Like a child terrorized by nightmares. Marko could hear her heart slowing as she slept. He didn't remember what it was like to turn, but it must have been painful. It had to be a good thing to be passed out then, Marko, though, her fever must still be running high. He took a seat next Valerie's melting body. 

* * *

Valerie woke up feeling gross, to say the least, her head was spinning, and she was thirsty. She struggled to push her self up on her elbows. She was greeted by Markos sitting figure in his hands was a pigeon? She cleared her throat, causing Marko to jump slightly and released the pigeon. "Woah, didn't mean to scare you," Valerie said weakly as she dropped back into the bed with a groan. "You didn't scare me." Marko got off the ground and opened one of the bottles of water for Valerie. He helped her sit up and drink from the bottle. "How long have been out?" she asked, looking at Marko still weak, "I have no idea, Star been taking care of you for the most part." They looked over to the other end of the cave to see Star laying her bed, drolling on her pillow slightly. "Let's let her sleep a little longer," Valerie said as she tried to stand up, Marko catching her before she could fall. 

"Where do you think you're going?" Marko asked as they moved away from her bed. "I need to shower; I feel gross." Marko nodded, helping her to the showers. "You do realize that you can't stand by your self right." Valerie paused for a second to look at Marko. "You're just gonna have to hold me up then." That caused Marko to look at her. "Wait! What!?" He answered after processing what she had said. Even though Marko hadn't fed in so long, Valerie could still see a tinge of pink hitting his cheeks.

"Get your head out of the gutter." Marko was practically carrying her at this point as they walked into the spa. "Literally just hold me under the shower, I just want to get the sweat off of me," Valerie explained as Marko sat her down on the edge of the spas pool. "Val, this is a bad idea. You're just going to get sicker!" "Marko, I'm dying," She paused, "sort of, a little hot water ain't gone kill more than I already am, right? " Marko scuffed "Fine, just let me go get you a change of clothes and a towel." "Thank you," Valerie said as he sat her down on the edge of the pool.

Not to say that bathing Valerie was an ordeal, but it was a struggle having to hold her and not get wet. Marko did not exceed at the latter, but he did help Valerie, which is what mattered. They sat on one of the stone benches Marko's back was turned to Valerie while redressed her self. Marko had discarded his jacket and shirt after they had gotten wet now. He sat waiting for Valerie to finishing dressing. "You know that nightshirt was totally see-through," Marko stated is chin in his hand while his elbow rested on his knee. Valerie threw her soaked shirt at his head and told him to shut up. 

Valerie was feeling much better when they walked back into the cave. Marko, on the other hand, was looking ghostly pale. "You should go out and eat someone," Valerie told Marko as he tucked her into the bed. "I can't just leave you here with no help." He looks to Star, who was still passed out her bed, legs nearly hitting the floors. "I feel better." Marko gave her a questioning looking. "Look," Valerie crossed her arms. "Just give me a good book, and I'll be a very good girl and stay in bed for the rest of the night, okay?" 

Marko thought for a. second before looking for a book. He came back with a worn-out copy of Frankenstein. "Here," he gave her the book, "Now, are you sure you're gonna be okay?" He asked her one last time. "Marko," She took his hands in her own. "I promise I will be just fine on my own." She brought his hand to her lips and kissed his knucks, causing the last bit of flowing blood straight to his checks, sending a shiver up his spine to the ends of his curly hair. "Now, go out there and eat someone?" He nodded, taking his tingling hands back. "Oh, hey!" She called after him one last time. He turned to look at her, "Can you bring back some fried rice?" He nodded again and turned to leave; she thanked him as he walked out. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone who is still read or has read my fic. I'm sorry it takes me forever to update. I'm going to finish this fucker no matter what, it might take me forever but it will get done. As always review, comment, and leave a hoe a Kudo!
> 
> Oh and here's the link to the Spotify playlist:
> 
> https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5owiW2TvetV70wArIMLaA1?si=K-8TAV1CRD2oMlDqMlHkLQ


	11. Magic Man - Heart

Valerie was woken up by hoots and hollers. The strong smell of blood reached her nose before she saw any of the boys enter the cave. The smell made her stomach churn. If she had any food left in her stomach, she probably would have thrown up again. "Will you be quiet." She whined, sitting up in bed; her hair was wreaked. She looked pale, and her head throbbed. She looked around the cave. Her eyes landed on Paul, who was covered in the sickly sweet red of blood. She gaged again. All the boys were covered in the stuff. They all looked better, not so pale and weak like they had when they first left the cave. Her eyes moved to Star; the poor girl was still dead asleep this time; she was on her knees next to the bed. Her head rested on the bed; she looked like she had fallen asleep while she prayed.

Valerie got up from her bed; she caught herself on the cave wall when she almost fell from becoming too dizzy. She was still wearing Markos sweat pants and a muscle shirt; the size boob was real. Valerie walked to Star; she did not look comfortable; she was still in her skirt on from the morning. "Star, babe." Valerie shook her shoulder. Star only moaned, "Star babe, you gotta get in the bed." Valerie tried again, "I am in bed," Star whined, turning her face away from Valerie. "No, you're not babe." "Leave me alone," Star groaned, almost falling off the bed. "Come on, babe," Valerie pulled her up onto the bed, tucking her into her blankets right after. Star was not going to get up any time soon, Valerie thought, as she turned to the Lost Boys who were now passing a joint around still covered in blood. She walked up the group and crashed onto the couch, "Where's Marko?" She asked, the cherub-faced vamp missing from the group. "Getting food," Paul answered, taking a hit from the joint. "But y'all are covered in blood ain't y'all full?"

Valerie skipped her turn and handed the joint to David. "Blood isn't food; its life," Dwayne answered from his spot next to Paul on the couch. "So y'all still need people food then." "Yup." Paul replied, popping the 'p' blowing out smoke. "Okay," Valerie said, skipping her turn again. "I take it; you're feeling better, Val," Dwayne asked, adopting the nickname. "Yeah, you can say that." Marko crashed in the cave, carrying a large box full of carryout boxes. "Delivery!" He called as he tossed a box to each member of the group. "And for you, princess," He handed her the box; she opened it to reveal her fried rice. "Thank you, Marko!" She thanked him by getting up and hugging him. "Thank you, Marko!" The boys mocked after her. "Oh, you shut up." She told them off. 

They sat down next to each other; the group talked about the nights' hunt as they picked at each other's food sharing from the boxes to get their fill. Valerie asked what they did with the bodies after they were done. They all answered 'fire' at the same time. "So y'all set the bodies on fire? That's pretty smart, I guess..." She picked at her rice. "Is there a way you can feed on someone without having to kill them?" She asked, not moving her eyes from her food. "You'd have to be extremely good at playing mind tricks to do that..." She looked at David before asking, "You think I'll be able to do that once I turn?" He looked deep in her eyes and said: "If you practice and have the will to stop yourself short of killing." She nodded then began to think. David broke her thoughts.

"By the way, Max wants to see you tomorrow." "Tomorrow?!" She jumped from her seat, "I've been here for like three days!" "Try a week, sweetheart!" Paul called as he walked to the back of the cave. "A week?!" "Yup," he called again, popping the 'p' again. "You better be hitting the showers!" She called after all of them as they walked away from her. Man a whole week. She couldn't believe it; she couldn't remember the last time she had stayed anywhere longer than three days, let alone a full week. Man, this place is gone be home, she thought to herself as she took the empty takeout boxes, throwing them into one of the fires in an attempt to clean up a little. 

* * *

Valerie did not want to get up the following night, her head felt better, and she didn't feel like puking every time she moved. But out of pure laziness and comfort, she did not want to leave the bed. It didn't take a long time before Star finally woke up feeling rejuvenated. From across the room, she could see Valerie reading her book on her bed. She got up stretching and walked over to her companion. "Whatcha reading?" She asked, taking a spot next to Valerie on the bed, resting her head on her shoulder, "Frankenstein." Valerie answered her eyes, not leaving the book. They stayed like that for a while, enjoying each other's silent company before a fizzy haired blonde decided to push his way in between the two girls. "What do you say, girls," He spread his arms to drape over the girl's shoulders, "Let's make this twosome a threesome!"

Both girls groaned, Star rolled herself off the bed and onto her feet while Valerie repeatedly hit Paul with her book yelling at him to get off her bed. "Why so hostel Valerie?" Marko asked from across the cave; he looked like he had just woken up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "Oh, you know just Paul being his regular rat bastard self." the comment earned a chuckle from both Dwayne and David, who had joined the group witnessing Valerie nailing Paul on the head with her book after she had thrown it like a baseball. "Are you ready to go, Val?" David asked, lighting his cigarette. "Huh?" She looked at him like he had three heads, did he just call Val? She thought to herself, "You have to go talk to Max." He said, not looking at her as he planted himself in the wheelchair. "Oh shit!" Valerie looked down at her clothes; they were the same ones from the night before. "Uh, what does one wear when meet they head honcho?" She asked, turning to the group pull on her pant legs. Marko and Paul shrugged their shoulders, David and Dwayne did nothing. "Y'all are about as helpful as a chocolate teapot!" She stopped at the Stars area and started to look at her clothes. "What does that even mean?"Marko asked Paul, who shrugged. 

"Is it cold out? Windy?" Valerie asked to no one in particular, "Do I look like a weather boy?" David answered dryly. Valerie rolled her eyes, finally landing on a white button-up dress. The dress reached far above her knee, but it was still perfectly presentable; her hair, on the other hand, was still a wreak. She pulled Star into the spa dress in hand, "I don't understand why we don't have any mirrors in this place," She said as she changed. Star sat on one of the benches as she watched the other girl panic as she reached for her hair. "Please help me," Valerie said, her fingers stuck in her mess of beach waves. Star began to help Valerie when Dwayne walked into the dilapidated spa, "We need to go." He said, stone-faced.

"Dwayne," Valerie started as she picked at a knot "You clearly don't understand. You were blessed with beautiful straight hair; I was blessed with a rats nest. This is going to take some time." They continued to pick at her hair when Dwayne picked her up, throwing her over his shoulder and began to walk. "Put me down, Dwayne!" She shrieked, Star trailed behind the two. "We don't have time." He answered, "You ain't fucking funny!" She cried as Dwayne took Stars' hand, they ascended the cliff. "I'm hilarious." He said Valerie could hear the smirk in his voice. "You ain't cute too!" He sat her down on his bike, but not before answering. "I'm adorable." He got on the bike and revved the engine; Valerie playfully hit him. The gang took off to the shining lights of the boardwalk. 

* * *

Dwayne stopped the bike and parked it next to his brothers and turned off the engine, kicking the stand before he got up he realized that Valerie still had her arms wrapped tightly around his waist. "Val?" He questioned, looking at her hands, placing his own over them. "I'm not really." She answered, pushing her face deeper into his back. "You have to go soon, Val," He reached behind him, taking hold of the back of one of Valerie's knee tenderly pulling up so that her foot would no longer be on the footrest. "He doesn't like waiting." He let go, her foot barely reaching the ground of the boardwalk. "Fine!" She groaned, finally getting off the bike. When she looked up, she was taken aback by how breathtaking the boardwalk had become. The lights and colors had become brighter, the music was louder, and 'my god' she thought, 'that smell is amazing' her mouth started to water the smell was strong it made her stomach twist with hunger. "Looks like someone got their first whiff of young blood."

Paul threw his arm over her shoulder, knocking her out of her hunger filled trans. "My what?" She asked, looking up at him for once feeling glad that he had taken her under his arm. "Its blood Valerie," Star told her, looking at her with worry in her eyes. "Blood has a smell?" Valerie asked, confused, "You'll learn to ignore it." Star patted her on her shoulder, "You should get going." Paul removed his arm; Star gave her a thumbs up. "Uh, I don't know where I'm going." She looked around the group, no one making eye contact with her as if eye contact meant to volunteer. "Guys!" She looked at them again; no one looked at her, she groaned.

"David!" She tried, "Don't look at me. I'm not going," He said, lighting a cigarette. "David!" She stomped her foot, earning her an eye roll from the platinum vamp. He flicked his half-burnt cigarette and began to walk away. "Well, aren't you coming." He called over his shoulder, Valerie scurried after him. The air was intoxicating, with every boy and every girl that passed by Valerie made her mouth would water; David had to pull at her hand now and then when she would stray. After walking for a while, Valerie could no longer see the boys or Star.

David held open the glass door to a video store. Valerie recognizes the place from her first night on the walk. Max's Video Store shined bright over her head. "This is it, huh?" Fear creeping into her voice, flashes of the last time she had spoken to Max came to her mind sending a spike of cold through her. She gave David one last look before taking a deep breath and walking into the store. The store was cold but not in an eerie kind of way, more like when you've been outside, and you walk into a refrigerated house. The store was semi-crowded with people looking for a weekend movie, kids and adults alike. That made Valerie feel better as she walked up to the counter. 

The girl behind the counter turned her attention to Valerie; her name tag read Maria. "Hi!" she said, smiling widely. "How can I help you?" She leaned on the counter. "I'm looking for Max," Valerie told her, crossing her arms the chill of the store getting to her. "No problem, I think he's in here somewhere." She said, looking around the store before calling Max to come over. He came over carrying a box of VHS. "Oh, Valerie, it's good to see you made it." He gave her a friendly smile she had fallen for on her first night in town, Valerie swallowed hard. "Yup made it in one piece." She smiled back, "Maria take over for me. Valerie and I will be in my office if you need anything." He took Valerie to the back of the store. 

The office was much like his home, clean, white, and modern. There was a couch, two chairs in front of the desk that had a computer on it. Behind the desk were his chair and a ton of vintage photographs of Santa Carla back when they still used black and white pictures. Valerie took a seat on one of the chairs; Max took his seat behind the desk. He held his hands together on top of the desk. "So," he started, "You made it." "Yes." She replied, feeling nervous. "Valerie, I'm not going to hurt you. I want to apologize for my actions. I did not handle that situation with grace." Valerie was stunned. She was not expecting that. "I don't know what to say," She looked at the pictures behind Max. "You don't have to say anything about that situation, but you do have to give me your report."

"Report?" She asked she hadn't written anything for him. "Yes.' He said, leaning back into his chair. "Remember, you are my eyes and ears." "Where do I start?" She asked, still not comfortable enough to lean into her chair. "How about starting from when you left my house." "Okay." And so she started. She told him about David taking her to the beach and telling her the rules. She told him about her depressive state and what each member of the gang did to try to cheer her up. Valerie told him about Paul and the beach trip. She then finally told her about feeling like hell for an entire day and night.

"That was you are turning fully," Max said from behind his hands. "You're a halfling now. I'm sure you know what that means." Valerie nodded her head. "So when are you planning to turn?" He asked sharply. Valerie gulped, "About that I was thinking," she pauses, he made her feel like a child, "I want to turn when I physically look twenty-one ." He nodded before asking why, "I want to be able to walk around by my lonesome without having to have people asking where my mama is or to be able to drink without issues or go into places I'm not supposed to right now. I don't know. Maybe I don't wanna be a kid for the rest of my undying life." Max listen to her to the end. "That's a strong argument." Valerie looked at Max. "So you approve?" She asked him to hope filling in her chest. "I do," Valerie smiled at him like she had that first night they met. "But Valerie, you have to understand that it might take years before you reach that age via looks." Valerie nodded, understanding that it might take decades for she looks that age. She was willing to wait. "But do you understand that you will have to deal with hunger pains, blood lust, and the urge to kill for all those years." Valerie hadn't thought about that, but she still didn't want to be a child forever. "I can wait." She said full of confidence that she had been missing when she first set foot in the store. "Okay. Is there anything else we should talk about before you go on your way?" Max asked, 

"Yes, actually." Valerie went to the edge of her seat before begging. "Star commented the other night." She pauses, waiting for his approval on the subject. "Go on." He said, using his hand to motion. "She said that her nights were numbered now that I took her point." Max nodded, wanting her to go on. "I don't want her to die, Max." Valerie looked at the carpeted fool. "Valerie, look at me." Valerie looked at Max, "What do you want?" "I want her to stick around." "and why is that?" "Because it's nice to have another girl to talk to and hang out. It's nice to have someone to hold your hand while you go through rough times." Valerie smile while she thought about Star and everything she'd done for her. She thought about that kiss as well; she touched her lips now tingling like they did that night. "Okay." Valerie snapped out of her thoughts. "Really?" She asked her eyes, starting to water. Max nodded, "For reals?" She asked again. "Oh, Max, you won't regret this!" Valerie shooked Max's hands, standing up. "You're dismissed, Valerie." She walked out of the office and then the store ecstatic. She couldn't wait to tell Star the great news. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one goes out to Beth the only real one, thank you for that last review! 
> 
> As always review, comment, and leave a hoe a Kudo!


	12. Have You Ever Seen The Rain - Creedence Clearwater Revival

Valerie was so pleased with herself, not only had she succeeded in being assertive, but she had also managed to save Star. She was over the moon. Valerie had walked out of the store looking for David, not seeing him, she took off towards the way they had walked. The smell of people on the boardwalk was insane. Everyone smelled so delicious she couldn't help but be taken by the scent allowing her self to forget about the boys and indulge in the smell. She would follow people that walked passed her, letting herself get lost in crowds of people. No one paid her much attention, which was good. If anyone had paid attention, they would have found that Valerie's' pupils were blown out, making her look like she had just taken a hit of some gnarly drug. She looked wasted, walking aimlessly. She had completely forgotten that she was looking for her friends. Officially breaking one of the cardinal rules that David had drilled into her head that night on the beach. 'Rule one' he had told her 'we always stick together, no one does anything alone. It wasn't till she stumbled upon two women talking while sitting on a bench that she was snapped out of her trans.

One of the women, middle-aged with huge teased hair, smelled so absolutely horrible. She smelled like rotting meat, it made Valerie's nose burn; she gagged a little. Her hands flew to her nose, covering it trying to keep the smell out with no luck. She launched herself to the railing heaving heavily. That's when a strong hand took hold of her upper arm and dragged her into an ally created by the boardwalks stores. Standing in front of her was a pissed off David, this was the angerest she had ever seen the platinum blond. Before he could say anything, she asked why that woman smelled like that. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose; his patience was running low with the new halfling.

"It's because she's dying." He pulled her hands away from her face. "Dying?" She asked as he held her wrists. "Yes." He answered, "We can smell dying people?" She didn't want to know that. "We have to be able to smell the dying." She gave him a questioning look, her wrists still in his hands. "You wouldn't want to eat a sick animal, so why would you want to feed from a diseased human. " The statement made her stomach drop. "What happens if we feed on a dying human?" Her voice was low; she no longer looked at him. He finally let go of her wrist using a finger to lift her chin, "Trust me when I say 'you don't want to know.'" "My head hurts." She replied. David sighed again, removing his finger, "You've been sniffing around, huh?" He asked her, crossing his arms over his chest; she nodded, looking sad. As if they had been called to their location, the rest of the gang showed up.

"There you are noob!" Paul roared, sending a jolt of pain through her head. The headache had sent her reeling with the sensory overload she had given herself, smelling every passing person on the boardwalk. "Shit, you over, did it, didn't you?" Marko asked from behind the thumb he was holding up to his lips. Valerie nodded; Star walked up to her bumping David out her way. Standing in front of her, Star took Valerie's face in her hands. "Let's go get you something to eat, yeah?" Valerie nodded again. "So, what did Max want?"

Paul asked this time a lot quieter than his last statement. Before they even exited the ally, Valerie turned to look at him before answering. "He wanted-" She cut her self off; that's funny Valerie thought before trying again. "He wanted-" It happened again, this time a slight pain raising in her tough. "He wanted-" she tried yet again this the pain increasing. "He-" She didn't get as far as before her tongue twisted in agony "He-" She tried one last time. This time her tongue twisted again, and her jaw locked; all she could get out now was small whining noises. Panic filled her eyes as she took hold of Star lower arms. Her eyes begging for help. The guys looked at the two girls knowing precisely what had just happened. If David was pissed before, he was beyond aggrieved now. "Valerie, you have to calm down!" Star tried to get through the panicked girl.

Valerie's breath came rapidly; her mouth was on fire like she had place burring coal in it. Her jaw could not open any wilder or close fully. The Lost Boys alternated between looked at Valerie whos tears were begging to pool in her eyes. And their fearless leader whos rage was written across his face like letters on paper. Paul finally sprung into action. He stood behind Valerie, pulling her arms over her head, holding them there while Marko gently pushed Star out of his way so he could take Valerie's face in his own hands. "Valerie, you have to listen to me," Marko told her, taking her attention from her pain. "You have breath deeply." He told her slowly and clearly. "Smell the flower," He breathed in deeply, through his nose, "Blow you the candle." He blew through his mouth. Valerie copied his technique the best she could while her jaw was completely locked.

David was still reeling in anger, his vampiric face threatening to come out. His eyes orange and out of his control. "Dwayne." He said, grinding his teeth, "Take the girls, get Valerie some ice. Paul, Marko, you're with me." He ordered before storming out of the ally. Paul and Marko let go of Valerie and followed after him. "Come on." Dwayne put a hand on Valerie's lower back, gently pushing her out of the ally. Star rubbed Valerie upper back as the two lead her to a snow cone truck that had made the boardwalk it's home for the night. They ordered three plain cones before taking a seat where the women had been sitting. Star and Dwayne sat on either side of Valerie. They rubbed the snow cones on her jaw and temples as she did her best to get ice in her mouth. 

Most times, Valerie had cold treats her teeth would hurt this time around the only pain she felt was coming from her twisted tongue and locked jaw. She cried softly, doing her best to avoid attracting attention. After a while, the snow cones became water, and Valerie was still in agony. "I'm going to get another round," Star said, getting up from the bench. She threw away her watery cone in the trash. Before joining the snow cone line that had grown since they sat on the bench. Valerie still cried silently, "Valerie." Dwayne said her name causing her to snap her gaze to him. He had crossed his legs the way men do and rested his left arm over the backrest of the bench. Valerie realized that that was the first time he had used her whole name, not Val, not girl, but Valerie. Valerie thought it sounded nice coming from his lips.

He reached into his breast pocket, pulling a tiny zip baggy with three little white pills in it. "Come on." He pulled her away from the bench and to the railing where people couldn't see then. "I need you to take one of these." He reached for her hand and placing one of the tiny pills on it. She tried to asked what the pills were, but all that came out as a squeak and more pian. "Try not to talk, Valerie." He told her, she gave him a questioning look that asked what the pills were for. "They'll make you feel better." He pushed her hand, holding the tablet up to her lips. "Please just take the pill." He asked her, causing Valerie to place the pill in her mouth. With her tongue out of commission, she had to use her fingers to push the tablet down her throat. She used her melted snow cone to wash it down, Dwayne and Valerie stood together overlooking the beach a slight breeze wash over the two. Soon enough, the pill began to take effect, Valerie could no longer feel her face. 

She patted at her jaw and giggled a little at the lack of feeling. "Is it working?" Dwayne asked, taking her attention from her face. "Yeah." She said, smiling, causing him to smile back her. The smile from Dwayne caused Valerie to gasp, "What is it?!" Dwayne asked, ready to spring into action, "So pretty!" Valerie said, her pupils blown out like they had been when she went smelling round. Dwayne thought it made her look like a kitten. "Huh?" He asked, confused, "What's pretty?" he looked around for whatever had caught Valerie's eye.

"You are!" Valerie smiled, Dwayne raised an eyebrow. "You think I'm pretty?" He asked, still confused, he had never been called pretty in his life dead or alive. Handsome, sexy, and hot sure but never pretty. "You're so pretty, Dwayne." She said looking a little sad, no one had ever told the vampire that he was pretty, it was so sad. "Don't go crying again." He told her, "You've cried too much tonight, no more." "Okay." She said, leaning half her body over the railing. The skirt of her dress almost short enough to flash her underwear. "Don't do that." Dwayne pulled her away from the rail, avoiding her falling over.

Most importantly, not allowing her to give the boardwalk a show. Just then, a stronger breeze made her dress fly up her thighs, she imitated Marilyn Monroe. Dwayne's jacket flew up as well flashing his bare torso, Valerie gasped again. "What is it now?" He asked, "Aren't you cold?" Her own skin showing signs of a chill. "No." He answered that when her hand flew up and hit him on his chest. "YOUR NIPPLES ARE GONE FALL OFF!" She cried loudly. To say that Dwayne was floored is the understatement of the century. His voice was stuck deep in his throat when he realized that her hands were, in fact, covering his nipples. "Valerie. Stop." He hissed, taking hold of her wrists and tried to pull them off to avail. "They're gonna fall off." The waterworks began yet again. 

"Uh, guys?" Star finally found the two after getting two more cones. She wasn't expecting the vamp and halfling to be in this situation. "What did you do to her?" Valerie was blubbering to herself about Dwayne catching a cold, which was literally impossible. Dwayne looked at Star, annoyed at Valerie. "I gave her a pill for the pain." He told Star who had raised an eyebrow at him, still confused by the situation. "You drugged her?" Star hissed, clenching her hands around the cone, ruining them in the process. "She was in pain. She needed it." He told her, "Is this a normal reaction?" Star asked him, throwing the cones away. "She's lightweight; it's just hitting her stronger than normal." He brushed off Star concern for her friend. 

He let go of Valerie's wrists and began to zip up his jacket to her wrists. "Is this better?" He asked Valerie; she nodded her head, removing her hands from his chest. As she did so, Paul and Marko found the group, David, not with them. Marko was carrying two boxes of pizza. Both Marko and Paul were wearing grim looks. Neither asked what was happening. Before Star could ask where David was, Dwayne told the group that it was time to head back to the cave. No one said anything, they just took off from the boardwalk. Star with Paul, Marko with the pizzas, and Valerie with Dwayne. 

* * *

They walked into the cave, a somber atmosphere consumed the group, Valerie didn't understand why she felt terrific. It wasn't until Dwayne had sat her down on one of the couches that Valerie finally realized that David had gone missing. "Dwayne?" She asked as she laid her head on his lap, "Where's David?"Dwayne looked down at her, that pill really did a number on the girl. "I don't know." He answered plainly. "You don't know?" Once again, tears began to build up in her Bambi eyes. "Don't start again." He told her sitting her up as Marko handed then a slice of pizza each. The group sat together eating and not saying anything. 

Star was the first to head to her bed, soon followed by Paul, who stretched and asked them to wake him whenever David came back, not too long after Marko joined him but not before killing most of the fires. Dwayne and Valerie were the last two remaining, Valerie had retaken her spot on Dwayne's lap. She had begun to come down from her high like a film had been lifted from her eyes. Dwayne ran a hand through her hair absentmindedly. "Are you thinking about David?" She asked him as she looked at his stony face. He looked down at her, only giving her a nod for an answer. "You're worried about him?" She asked, getting up, sitting on her knees facing him. He nodded again, "Did I do something wrong?" Dwayne sighed heavily and ran a hand through his own hair. "You did nothing wrong." He finally said, "This is on, Max." "Either way, I'm sorry if I've caused you or anyone any problems." "You've done nothing wrong." He told her as he tucked her hair behind one of her ears. She looked at him for the first time that night with no tears in her eyes. "Thank you," it was then that Valerie hugged Dwayne. It was the second time that Dwayne was taken aback with the girl; it took him a second to hug her back. "I'm worried about him too." She spoke into his shoulder. He rubbed her back, neither ready to let go.

When she pulled away, she looked deep into his eyes before speaking again. "You know, I thought you hated me for a second there in the begging." Dwyane shifted in his seat to face her, he frowned a little, "I've never hated you." He told her plainly, "You set me on fire, Valerie." "I don't understand." She slid her hands off of Dwyanes shoulders, placing them on her lap. She was looking at them when Dwyane spoke again. He lifted her chin. "Since the day we set eyes on you, we've been on fire." Valerie took hold of the wrist connected to the hand that held her chin. It was then that the gap between the two began to close, eyes slowly shut, and lips tenderly met, sending sparks flying between the two. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a real hard time writing the end of this chapter. I'm high key not good at writing romance, like at all. At least I'm trying, right? Taking the challenge. 
> 
> As always review, comment, and leave a hoe a Kudo!


	13. Who's Crying Now - Journey

She was awakened by a crash, startled she looked around herself. Her eyes were taking a second to adjust to the light. She was on her bed, her boots had been taken off, and she was confused. The last thing she could remember was sitting next to Dwayne on the couch, holding hands, and cuddling. 'Oh, god!' She thought, running her hands through her hair, "I kissed him too!' She had also kissed Star the other night, and now she was confused about who she liked, but also confused about liking boys or girls. Another crash pulled her from her turmoil. 

She poked her head out of the make-shift curtain she and Star had put up. It was just an old comforter pined up over the opening of the alcove. Thick enough to keep firelight and the sunlight that sipped through the cracks in the ceiling of the cave out. She followed the sound of moaning a little way up the entrance steps. There she found David curled up into a tight ball. The light of the sun wasn't touching him, but he most definitely felt the touch on his vampiric skin if he had just now crash-landed into the cave. Panicked, Valerie began to pull David further into the cave. 

She pulled on the shoulders of his jacket, "Shit. Shit. Shit." She pulled him as fast as she could. She was going to move him to the back of the cave where the guys slept, but that would have meant having to drag him through the light that slipped in, and it was just too far for both of them, so she did the next best thing. She pulled him into her bed. He had been groaning when she pulled him; she was sure that he had also cried when curtains touched his sensitive skin. That had made him press the one side of his face with both of his hands. "I'm gonna get the guys!" She tried to rush away from the injured vamped only to be pulled back to him. "Don't!" He hissed at her, still holding one side of his face. Valerie couldn't see the details of his face, but she knew that he had to be burnt under that hand. "Shit," She dropped to her knees. "David, I don't know what to do!" She couldn't even see him that well. "Just let me go get the guys, and they can help you better than I can, okay?" She begged him, but he still wouldn't let go of her. "David, please?" She tried again. "No." She sighed heavily. "Okay, at least let me light some candles so I can see what I'm working with." She lit the candles that had been placed around in the nook when she was done; she turned to David. He had curled up into a ball again; he had also turned his back to her. 

She went back to kneeling at the edge of the bed; she gently pulled at David's arm, trying to get him to lay back in the bed. When she did, she choked on the gasp that rose up her throat when she finally got a good look at David. Half of his face badly burnt. The other side looked like it had been beaten to a pulp. His eye was swollen shut; his upper lip was split open just like his eyebrow. Valerie was confused, vampires were supposed to heal stupid fast, but David's injuries made him look almost human. Her eyes moved past his face onto his chest and torso. His t-shirt was shredded from his ribs to his navel. The old off black shirt was soaked with his blood.

  
Valerie's hands shook; she didn't know what to do. She swallowed hard before helping David get out of his outer layers; she threw them in a corner with old cassette tapes. David didn't look at her or said anything. She peeled the bloody shirt off, getting a full look at the gashes. Tears began to pool in her eyes, but before they could spill, Valerie took a deep breath and told herself to woman up because she had done too much crying, and now it was her turn to help someone. She pulled the first aid kit that Star had brought over when Valerie had been sick while turning. Looking through the kit, Valerie came across items that didn't belong in a commercial first aid kit. Inside where suture kits, syringes, a ton of gauze, numbing cream, little vials of medicine, and a whole bunch of other stuff.

'God,' She thought 'The guys must have raided a hospital for all this stuff.' The first thing she reached for was a bag of cotton and isopropyl alcohol. She began to clean his wounds; he flinched when she first touched his wounded skin. His eyebrow and lip didn't need stitches, but she still put a butterfly closure on his brow. She came across a white package on its side; it read 'squeeze to activate ice pack.' So she did instantly the pack became ice cold. She placed it on his swollen eye; then, she took his hand so he could hold it himself. She was going to need both her hands for the next parts. She dug through the kit until she found what she needs—burn ointment. There was a ton of the stuff, which made sense, one of their own was bound to accidentally stay out for just a little too long. She would bet that it was a close call between Marko and Paul with Paul being enough of a crack head to forget to go home on time. Valerie would have laughed if she didn't have David, who looked like he got in a fight with a badger that had been set on fire right in front of her. 

Valerie generously applied the ointment to the burnt side of his face. She did her best at loosely wrapping the wound. Now it was time for the hard part. The gashes on his torso were still bleeding by the time she got to them. They were gnarly, intense, raw, dirty, and bleeding. They were going to need stitches for sure. Her hand had been steady when she had been dealing with his face, but now they were back to shaking. She was really in over her head for sure. "D-David?" She couldn't look away from the wounds. He let out a noise that was a cross between a whine and a cry. It broke Valerie's heart to hear such sounds coming from her leader. 'Wow,' She thought, 'Since when is he, my leader? What the fuck is that about?' as far as she knew still held hard feelings for the vamp. 

She snapped back to reality, "I don't know what to do." She told David, who was still holding the ice pack on his face. "You need to take one of those syringes," He wheezed his directions. "And poke a hole into the top of one of the vials." She did it as he told her, "Pull liquid from the vials with the syringes." She was doing good, "Now you're going to have inject the walls of the wounds, not the actual wounds but the areas around them." She did as she was told. From there, she began to clean the wounds.

"You're going to have to sew me up." He told her, causing her to stop in her tracks. "What?" Panic once again rising up her spine. "You're going to have to stitch me up." He repeated. With another deep breath, Valerie grabbed one of the suture kits. She had mended plenty of clothes before so you could say that she knew how to sew, but that didn't mean that she was any good at it. Valerie knew that she was going to leave him with a nasty scar. She opened the kit and got to work. By the time she finished, her hands were bloody, and his wound was closed, but lord did they look bad. She sat him up one last time to wrap his torso in gauze. 

She was exhausted; her white dress was ruined; she was covered in David's blood; there were used medical supplies all around them. She laid down on the edge of the bed, avoiding touching David. "You did good, kid." He petted her head with the hand that didn't hold the ice pack up to his face. "Are you gonna tell me what the fuck happened to you?" She asked him. David sighed; he had not been looking forward to this part. "I can't tell you." "It was Max, huh?" She asked him. He didn't say anything; she knew it had to be Max. "If a maker hurts their creation, the wounds react as they would on a human, huh?" She asked him, "Anyone ever tell you that you're too smart for your own good?" He asked her. "You gotta be smart if you gone live life like I do." He kept his hand in her hair like he needed to know that she was still there. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for this taking so long, I don't think it's good enough to be published but here I am. Again I apologize for taking so long to update. 
> 
> As always review, comment, and leave a hoe a Kudo!


	14. Alone Again - Dokken

Valerie woke up again during the middle of the day. She knew it had to be the middle of the day because David was in such a deep sleep he had stopped faking the act of breathing. His hand was still entwined in her hair. She had wrapped herself around his leg in her sleep, using his thigh as her pillow. Valerie carefully removed David's hand from her hair, but not before unwrapping herself from his leg. Valerie poked her head out of the make-shift curtain like she had done earlier that day. The cave was showered in a rainbow created by the light that slipped through the ceiling's cracks.

The mobile that hung above the broken down fountain allowed the sun to become a rainbow as the light passed through the broken bottles and bounced off the damaged CDs. Valerie wondered if it had been Star who had made and hung the intricate piece of art or if it had been one of the boys. She would have bet that Marko had done it. The mobile had given off a rainbow during the night with the barrel fires, but it was nothing like it was right there in that moment. It took Valerie some time to pull away from the rainbow-filled room. She made her way to the back of the cave, where the boys would go at the end of the night. She regretted not throwing her boots back on. 

As she moved further into the cave, the rougher the walls and floors became. She had to crawl under debris and fallen wooden planks. Valerie told herself that she should really invest in a flashlight when the candle she was carrying nearly burned out, and the wax ran down her hand and arm. She almost fell headfirst at the end of the tunnel. Valerie looked around, hoping to find the guys sleeping in some sort of room full of beds. What she found was an empty chamber that was a lot smaller then she thought it would be. That was until she looked up. The light from her candle was not strong enough to light the whole chamber, but it was strong enough to help her see the outline of three young men hanging upside down. 

Valerie nearly gasped before she realized that she was basically on a self-given mission. She began to throw pebbles at who she had assumed was Dwayne. After the 6th pebble had been thrown, Valerie resulted in throwing fist-sized stones at the dead young man. After a few tries, she managed to land a hard hit square to Dwayne's face. Before she realized what she had done, he bared his fangs and full vampire face at her. The action made her want to shrink into her own skin. In her fright, the candle she held in her hand tilted. Sending all the hot wax that was gathering at the top-down her arm. The burning only lasted a few seconds, but it was enough to snap her back to reality. Dwayne had then realized that it was just Valerie at the bottom of their cavern and not some vampire hunter. His vampiric face was quickly changed back to human. 

"Valerie?" He asked, sufficiently disoriented his voice deep with sleep. Nither of the girls in the group had been brave or stupid enough to go that far back into the cave. "What's going on?" He asked, trying to get her to look at him. Valerie avoided his face as it sent flashed of the night after she had drunk from the wine bottle. "It'd David," She said, still not look at him. Dwayne started for the cavern exit, only to be stopped by Valerie stepping in front of him. She knew that if he went out there, he'd be worse off than David was now. Dwayne grunted, knowing that he could not go into the main cave. "What happened?" Dwayne asked through his teeth.

Valerie explained that it looked like David had been the main course of a pig roast and that some had tenderized him before throwing him into the fire. Dwayne's jaw tensed as she explained that Max had most definitely the chef of the cookout. "He needs to feed." Was all that Dwayne answered. Valerie raised her eyebrow before asking what exactly Dwayne meant. "He hasn't fed in a while. He needs blood. Or it'll take him a prolonged time to recover." Dwayne explained, "So you telling me to go out and get a whole ass human person down here so that David, who is passed out in my bed, can eat them?" Valerie questioned him, struggling to keep her voice down so as not to disturb the other two hanging vampires. "Am I missing anything?!" Dwayne actually cracked a smile at the short girl in front of him. "I'm telling you to feed him yourself." "Wait, what?" It was now Valerie's turn to be confused. 

Dwayne smirked down at her, her eyes wide with surprise. "You're a halfling Valerie. Half-human, half-vampire." Valerie inhaled sharply. The idea of sharing her own blood grossed her out. "Can't I just give him the same pill you gave me?" She asked, trying to bargain with the tall man. "That won't help him heal." He snorted at her, Dwayne was getting impatient with Valerie. Being woken up in the middle of the day was not doing his mood any favors, and he would probably end up sleeping for most of the night. Valerie whined at the idea causing Dwayne to reach for her, turning her chin to make her face him. "If you were in his place, he would not hesitate to feed you his own blood." Valerie didn't want to listen, she still didn't know how she felt about the wounded vampire. 

She sighed, turning her eyes from the vamp that held her face. "He's in this state because he went after Max." Valerie was astounded by the statement. "David doesn't like to see his family in any sort of pain." Valerie wanted to cry. It was her fault that David had been so severely injured. "The man might be a hard ass jerk, but he cares about you more than Max or anyone outside our family ever could." Dwayne's words hit her harder than the stone she had nailed him with. Her heart ached from awareness. She didn't realize that she was crying until Dwayne was wiping the tears from her face. 

He held her for a short time before he began walking her back to the alcove opening. "You have to help him, Val." He then gave her a pocket knife. She once again raised her eyebrow. "Since when do vampire need knives?" She asked, cracking a sly smile. "Call it a souvenir." He told her as he placed the switchblade into her hands. His choice of words sent a chill up her spine, knowing that he had taken it from one of his victims. She signed one last time before crawling her way back to the main cave. The light of the cave burned her eyes, she had lost the candle on her way back out. She stumbled her way back to David. She rechecked his burns, they were mostly gone by then; only looking like a nasty sunburn. 

She sat on her knees for a long time before finally deciding that she really did have to give him blood. She looked at the knife switching it open. Before she tore into her own flesh, she tried to wake David up, earning a grunt from the sleeping vamp. She signed again, then glided the edge blade down her wrist, it bit into her skin. Blood began to pool. It trickled down onto Davids cold, pale lips, it didn't take long for David to latch on her wrist. She whimpered as he drank from her wrist, his hands wrapped tightly around her arm and hand. Valerie began to feel dizzy and weak. "David?" She tried to pull her arm away from his lips. "DAVID!" She yelled at him ripping her arm from his grasp. 

David finally realized what was happening when Valerie had yelled his name. She was now sitting back her knees drawn up to her chest, she held her still bleeding wrist in her opposite hand. "Shit." He grunted and slowly sat up. The pain from his wounds, sending quick aches up his body. He reached out for her, blood dripping down his chin. "Valerie?" His voice was horsed and cracked. Valerie cradled her healing wrist she looked at David with fear in her eyes. Everything that Dwayne had said was flying out the window. "Did you feed me?" He asked, swinging his legs to the edge of the bed. 

He looked down to his feet, realizing that someone, most likely Valerie had taken his boots off. "Yeah." She said, back her tone sharp. David almost wanted to apologize for holding on for so long. Instead, he just looked at her rubbing her mostly healed wrist and said thank you. She looked at him and nodded, "Are you feeling any better?" She asked, getting a better look at his face, the burn the was gone, but the other side of his face wasn't looking any better than it had before. David sighed and nodded. She got up and sat next to him, "You can't go out yet. It's still the middle of the day." They laid back down on the mattress, keeping their hands to themselves. 

"Dwayne told me why you did what you did." She told him her eyes not leaving the ceiling of her nook. "Did he now?" David had thrown his arms over his head, ribs no longer hurting. "Yes he did," Valerie then looks at the size of his face, his eyes were closed now. "Don't do it again." His eyes busted open, and he turned his face to look at her. Before he could say any, she continued. "I'm a big fucking girl David, I don't need you to run around playing knight in shining armor for me." She told him. If sleep wasn't fighting to overtake him, he would riped her a new one. He simply settled on closing his eyes and scoffing at her; she returned the sound and turned her side, giving him her back. Sleep soon overhauled the two. 


	15. Hungry Eyes - Eric Carmen

Valerie woke up alone. She felt gross and hungry. It didn't help that she as still covered in David's blood. She pulled the curtain out her way, the fires had been lit and the sunlight no longer spilled into the main cavern. Yet the chamber was washed in blue; a chill ran up Valerie's spine. Star was thrown over her bed, peacefully sleeping. The sun must've just gone down. David probably went out to kill someone as soon as the sun started falling past the horizon. It was still too early for the other boys to be awake, or Valerie and Star would have been awakened by the said boys being too damn loud for their own good. Valerie stumbled to the bathhouse. Her stomach was surprisingly irritating her now. She never had such lousy period cramps in her life. Most times, it was really light, and she'd get moody, but right there at that time, she felt like the baby alien from Alien was trying to rip through her guts. She stripped out her bloody dress started to clean her self up. After her stomach went quiet for a bit or at least long enough for her to wrap a towel around her person. She went straight to Star after. She kneed down next to the sleeping girl. She then began to try to wake her up by poking her face and whispering her name.

Star swatted at her hand, moaning as she told Valerie to stop. That's when Valerie began to shake the girl violently. "Oh my god! Valerie! Stop!" Star yelled at her, trying to pull away from the other girl. Star looked down at Valerie, kneeling next to her bed, wrapped in the ratty old towel. "Star, you carry tampons up in here?" Star raised an eyebrow, "I swear to god I'm about to have a demon of a period on my hands. My cramps are just about ready to kill me." Valerie whined into the mattress. Star snorted loudly, trying to stifle a laugh. Valerie looked up at the other girl, perplexed, 'God, she looks so cute when she's confused." Star, though, as she looked at her miserable expression. "Come, let's get you dressed. I'll explain everything." Star sighed, pulling Valerie off the floor and to the chest full of mostly her clothes. Star had asked Valerie if she wanted her own stash, but Valerie had told Star what David said on the beach, and the two agreed to share and grow the collection together. 

Star dressed Valerie in an extra short pair of cut-offs and an oversized off white kit sweater. In turn, Valerie fitted Star in a long gold and black spaghetti strapped dress that hugged her torso tightly and then became loose at her hips. The two girls had also agreed to dress each other as a way to bond. As they dressed, Star told Valerie that she would never have to worry about having a period again because they were halflings, and vampires don't freely bleed like humans. Valerie liked that she would never have to deal with pads and tampons again, but part of her was a bit sad that she would never have children. It almost broke her heart; she had turned her back to Star, allowing herself to let the sorrow display itself on her face. Star then told her that the pain she was feeling was from hunger. "That don't make no sense." Valerie told Star as the two moved to sit on the couches "I ate a ton pizza just last night, I can't be that hungry now! I just woke up!" Star's face went grim. Valerie asked her what was wrong. "It's not hunger for food, Valerie." Star tone had turned serious then. "You're hungry for blood." Valerie wanted to laugh at the idea, but the look that Star gave her shut her up fast. 

Out of nowhere, the boys entered the main room of the cave. Paul jumped in between the girls taking the center to sit on the couch. "Hello, ladies." He said with a wide grin; he threw his arms around their shoulders. "What are you two fine young women talking about." Valerie laughed at Paul's lame attempts to flirt. Star pushed his arm off of her as Valerie threw her arms around Paul. "Star here is trying to tell me that I'm starving for blood." She bared her teeth at Paul playfully. "Well, that makes sense," Marko stated from the couch across the three, Valerie was still confused. It was Paul's turn to talk but not before Star asked Marko where Dwayne was.

"He's still sleeping," Marko started. "Yeah, he nearly tore our heads off when we tried to wake him up." Paul finished then began to explain Valerie's hunger pains. "You're not meant to be a halfling for long; the hunger pains only get worse. It's like your body wants to become a full-blooded vamp ASAP." Valerie swallowed hard, "Don't worry if you drink from the bottle or one of us. It makes the pain fuck off for a week or two." Paul told her, shrugging his shoulders, Valerie made a face that made him laugh. "What you don't want to suck my blood?" He teased Valerie, "I don't wanna suck anyone's blood." She told the group holding back the gag. "Tough luck, sweet cheeks." The comment had come from none other than David, who had silently entered the cave. 

His burn was gone entirely, the split lip and eyebrow were nothing but angry red lines on his face. His eye was no longer swollen, and his bruise was in its final healing stages. 'He must've killed a ton of people to be this healed by now.' Valerie thought to herself; her arms were still looped around Paul's neck, causing David to raise his eyebrow. Valerie then tightened her loosely draped arms over Paul, into a complete hug. Her eyes never leaving David's. She turns her head to look at Marko. Paul then began to run his hand through her scalp; Star crossed her arms and legs, looking away from the two. Jealousy crept up her chest. Marko cracked a smirk from under his thump as he watched the scene unfolded. David was surprised by Valerie's defiance, after all, she did not belong to him, and he hated it. Star had obviously fallen hard for the new girl, and god bless Paul, the clueless idiot. "I think I'll stick with the painful period cramps then drink blood from that bottle," Valerie told the group. "You sure about that?" David asked as he moved to stand behind Marko. "Positive." She let go of Paul to cross her arms. "We'll see about that," David said, at an extraordinary speed he had made a small but deep cut into the side of Marko's throat.

It happened in a flash. One second Valerie is sitting next to Paul the next; she had latched herself to the side of Markos' throat. She had used so much force that she had toppled the couch, Marko, and herself over. "Woah there, girl! Easy!" Marko held on to the back of her head and her waist. Valerie had one hand resting on the other side of his throat and her other hand on the back of his head. Valerie suckled deeply into Marko's throat, his breath hitched as he lightly moaned at her action. "Uh, We should get her off him," Paul said as he watches Marko turn paler than he had been. David ripped Valerie off of Marko's throat; she sobbed loudly. "No! I need more!" Marko's blood dripped down her chin as David dragged her to the back of the cave. Marko laid on the floor as Paul bent down. "You good?" Paul asked Marko, "Oh man, I think I'm love." Marko told Paul, who laughed at his friend as he was filled with the euphoria of having Valerie feed on him. Star rolled her eyes and scuffed at the two blonds as they high fived. 

* * *

  
Valerie struggled against David as he dragged her further into the cave. She still begged for more blood; it wasn't until David stop moving that she realized that she inhaled the delicious scent of blood again. This time it came from David's throat. Like her had with Marko, she immediately latched onto his neck. Valerie was too short to have her hands in the same position they had been with Marko, so she settled with gripping onto David's lapel and bicep as she drank. Inturn David had one hand on the back of her neck and smoked a cigarette with the other. He couldn't believe that he had allowed her to feed on anyone other than himself. 'That's right; I allowed her.' He reminded himself, he also made a note that she was nothing like Star, she had a backbone and had called him out on his shit multiple times. Part of him liked it, but the other part of him wanted to break the spitfire spirit the girl possessed, but for that moment, he was going to rally in the fact she needed him to stifle her hunger and pain. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'ma try to update once a week I guess...
> 
> As always review, comment, and leave a hoe a Kudo!


	16. You're so Vain - Carly Simon

If people could die from embarrassment and shame, Valerie would be so dead. When she finally got her fill of the sweet blood that David had allowed her to take, she ripped herself off his throat. The force was enough to send David into the cave's wall with a harsh thump and herself onto the ground. Before David had even gotten the chance to crack, his signature smirk across his lips Valerie to him to leave, her voice was deep and guttural. Valerie had landed on her knees; she had soon after wrapped her arms around herself, her hair blocked her face from David. "I SAID LEAVE, DAVID!" She snapped at him, giving him a full view of her now orange eyes blared brightly in the dimply lit part of the cave. 

Her words had made David shrink into himself; once again, this girl had made him regret his actions. Valerie wanted to puke and cry and scream at the top of her lungs, but instead, she settled into collapsing into herself. Valerie wanted to apologize to Marko for taking too much of his blood. For jumping on him as she had. Yet as Valerie sat alone in the cave, Valerie couldn't bring herself to face anyone that had witnessed her actions. She seriously needed to get out of the cave and way from the group. She thought back to David's rules. "Rule One:" She recalled, "We always stick together, no one does anything alone; it's not safe." She sighed heavily even if she went out on her own she would still have to pass the group on her way out. 

She was really starting to hate the situation she found herself in; she especially hated David right now. "And just when, I was actually starting to warm up to that sick son of a bitch." She said aloud. "Who's a sick son of a bitch?" someone asked from the darkness. Valerie jumped to her feet, fright crawling up her spine. "Jesus Christ!" Valerie hissed that the owner of the voice, she nearly crashed into Dwayne. "David's a sick son of a bitch." She stated the fact. She could see Dwayne raise his eyebrow, she grunted again. "He's a dumb bitch who's gone get knocked the fuck out if he keeps acting like a punk ass bitch." She ranted, stomping her foot into the dirt floor of the cave as if she was stomping on David instead. 

She soon stopped when Dwayne began to wipe her face with the red rag he kept in his back pocket. The action made her lip tremble. Her rage was soon switched back to pure shame. Valerie sent herself into Dwayne's chest, wrapping her arms around his bare middle. Dwayne hugged her back tightly. Valerie cried onto his chest, "You gotta get me the fuck out of here." She looked up to him; her eyes begged him. Dwayne nodded down at her and began to pull her further into the caved. She followed without question. They traveled back to where the boys sleep. "Come here," Dwayne opened his arms to Valerie, who gladly stepped to hug Dwayne again, but before she could, Dwayne hoisted her into his arms. He then lifted them off the grown and to the top of the cavern where there was another opening. "We used to come in and out this way before we got Star," Dwayne explained the hole, she noted that she didn't like the way he had referred to Star. Like she was a pet or something, she hated that. 

The opening was a long hall that lead to the face of the cliff. There were no stairs or signs that the opening was there. Valerie relished on the cold sea air that crashed into the side of the cliff. Valerie looked at Dwayne, who smoking a cigarette while leaning on the side of the tunnel. "Can we go for a ride?" Dwayne gave her a look, "Please, I just want to get away from here," She looked away from him "If I could be alone I would be..." She said Dwayne flicked his bud off the cliff and placed his hand on her lower back. They lifted off the ground; Valerie liked the feeling of flying. She wanted to go higher. She took Dwayne's spare hand, extending her self as far from her anchor as possible, trying to see how it would feel like flying alone. Dwayne smiled up the girl with the curly hair. He gently pulled her to him and once again kissed her, this time deeper than the last. Valerie placed her spare hand on his cheek before pulling away. "I kissed Star before I kissed you." She told him. He nodded at her as he pulled her to where they left the bikes last and together they road into town. 

* * *

Valerie got off the bike first and waited for Dwayne. He turned to her and placed his hands on her small shoulders, "I'll keep an eye on you if you want to go on your own." Valerie grinned up at him. It was like he had read her mind. Before she could walk away from Dwayne, he pulled her back and held a fat wad of cash up to her face. "Get whatever you want." He told her, placing the cash in her hands. She wanted to argue with him, but he walked away from her. Valerie smiled and bit her lip, she knew just what she wanted at that moment it was blueberry slurpy. Even though cherry was her favorite, she wasn't so keen on drinking any red liquids. 

Valerie found her self sitting on the boardwalk railing as she thought about her life. She hated to admit that she missed her old life. Valerie wasn't used to having people care about her, and she hated that she cared for them back. She missed the days where all she had to worry about was herself, but now Valerie had to deal with the feeling that came with having her people getting hurt on her behave. She hated that. She hated David for caring so much. She wished that he would have just minded his own business. It was then that she realized that what happened to David had nothing to do with her but everything to do with Max having the upper hand on him. Valerie threw her drink as far as it could go, she hated David even more at that moment. 'Fuck him for making me his pawn. And fuck Max too.' She got up from her seat and went walking down the boardwalk, 'David did it to himself, I didn't ask his stupid ass to go after Max.' She told herself, yet her guilt stayed on her shoulders. 

She sighed deeply and went into one of the many clothing shops on the walk. Inside she angrily dug through the many clothing racks, finally landing on a white tasseled leather jacket. She stopped dead in her tracks and put the coat on. It fit her like a glove, ending right her waist. She felt like a rock star in the jacket, she quickly bought it. Her mood lightens up once she stopped thinking about how much she hated David. She walked off the boardwalk, not recalling whether or not Dwayne had told her if it was okay for her to down to the beach. 

Valerie could not belive herself at that moment. Since when did she ever need permission to do anything. Valerie realized how weak she had been around her new set of friends. She couldn't believe it, she had let them intimidate her to no end, well mostly David. But now she couldn't give a rats ass that he had gotten his stupid ass handed to him because he wanted answers; that was on him. She sat down on the beach as she watched the wave come and go like she had in her human life. "THIS FUCKING SUCKS!" She yelled at the ocean, finally laying down on the sand. "Yeah, this sucks!" Someone was now lying next to her, their fist raised in the air. Valerie shot up, lying next to her was Marko. 

In all her anger, she had forgotten just how embarrassed she had been earlier that night. Now with Marko sitting next to her, the flood gates open, leaving her face to turn the brightest shade of red that an undead girl could turn. "Oh my god, Marko, I am so sorry about draining your blood!" Valerie tried to apologize from behind her hands. Marko laughed as he prided Valeries' hands away from her face. "It's totally okay, babe," Marko told her his smile reassured her. His smile made her tension ease. "It was actually totally hot." That had surprised her. "How was that hot? I was literally drinking your blood." It was Marko's turn to blush, "It uh-" He hesitated, "It felt really good..." He said as he scratched the back of his neck. "Oh." Valerie turned from him as well. "It's kind of an intimate act; the act of feeding from a vampire..." Valerie's eyes widened, "Jesus! Marko, I basically molested you, didn't I?!" Valerie was horrified at the idea of assaulting Marko. Marko laughed hard at her reaction. "Don't worry about it, like I said I liked it!" Marko rubbed her back, trying to make her feel better. "I still feel awful about it." Marko smiled at her, they sat together for a while. 

"SON OF AN ACTUAL CUNT!" Valerie was yet again filled with rage. "Whoa! Val What happened." Marko asked, alarmed at the sudden outburst. Tears began to well up in Valerie's eyes. She looked at Marko, "Right after David pulled me off you, he dragged me to the back of the cave where he had me fed off him." Anger dripped from her words, "Oh shit." Marko couldn't find the right words. Even he knew that it wrong to not warm Valerie what feeding off a vampire meant. David had given Star the curtesy, so why not Valerie. "Hey," Marko put his hands on either side of Valerie's face; tears began to freely fall from her eyes. "What David did was totally fucked up." His words helped Valerie more than he could understand, she now felt like she had someone in her corner. She threw her arms around him and freely cried into his shoulder as he held her. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always review, comment, and leave a hoe a Kudo!

**Author's Note:**

> I apologize for taking so long to update. If you want faster updates leave me a comment asking for one. Trust it'll make me update faster/sooner.
> 
> As always review, comment, and leave a hoe a Kudo!


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